The trade that sent All-Star guard Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks to the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday sent shockwaves through the NBA community.
In exchange for Murray, Atlanta received Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., EJ Liddell, and two first-round picks from New Orleans. Many analysts viewed this as a less-than-favorable deal for one of the league’s premier two-way guards.
For some observers, this trade suggests that general manager Landry Fields and his team might be planning to dismantle the current roster. Despite having both Murray and Trae Young on their squad last season, the Hawks were unable to advance past the NBA Play-In Tournament.
However, it is improbable that the Hawks are planning a complete rebuild given what they invested to acquire Murray from the San Antonio Spurs before the 2022-23 season.
The Hawks have traded away their own first-round picks for the next three years to the Spurs, with each of these picks being unprotected.
Entering a rebuild mode doesn’t make sense for Atlanta, as it would mean they wouldn’t benefit from their own draft selections, essentially gifting three major assets to the Spurs, who are looking to pair these with Victor Wembanyama.
As a result, it is very likely that the Hawks will retain Trae Young. Despite the ongoing trade rumors surrounding him throughout the offseason, he remains a crucial part of their strategy moving forward.
