The first goal for any NBA general manager is to land star players. It’s not the only goal. You need to land stars, but ideally, you land stars who play well together.
The Atlanta Hawks seem to have missed that mark. They gave up substantial draft capital to land Dejounte Murray last summer. So far, it doesn’t look like he’s a good fit alongside Trae Young. The Hawks have stars, but they aren’t succeeding together.
By contrast, the Philadelphia 76ers are getting a lot out of their stars. Meanwhile, the last trade that they made involved sending a star out. The Sixers received assets one exchange for James Harden.
Could they use those assets to acquire Murray from the Hawks?
NBA Trade Proposal: Philadelphia 76ers Land Atlanta Hawks’ Dejounte Murray
Atlanta Hawks Receive: F/C Marcus Morris Sr., F Robert Covington, 2028 First-Round Pick (LAC via PHI), 2029 First-Round Pick (PHI), 2030 First-Round Pick (Swap – PHI)
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: G Dejounte Murray
Some will argue that pursuing stars can get in the way of building a team properly. Sure, acquiring two or three star players is a safe route to title contention. Yet, the team that wins the title is often a team that was drafted by the same organization and given time to grow.
After all, chemistry matters. Last year, the Sixers learned that lesson the hard way. Harden and Joel Embiid never quite seemed to click. As much combined talent as that pair has, they didn’t make a serious run at the NBA title.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
At the same time, they got closer than Young and Murray have. This duo is outside of the playoff picture at the moment. Perhaps that’s why it’s been rumored that the Hawks would be open to moving Murray.
Is this a fair return for him?
Why The Atlanta Hawks Do The Deal
The Hawks traded three unprotected first-round picks for Murray. Since that time, the market has changed. Arguably, the Hawks played a role in changing it. Opposing teams saw Atlanta give up a significant chunk of their future for an underwhelming result.
Still, Murray will have trade value. They’ll get a solid return if the Hawks want to move him for draft capital. We feel like a pair of firsts and a swap is acceptable. The Hawks should also be happy to take a pair of expiring contracts back.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
What’s next for Atlanta? We’re not sure. The opportunity to step back and survey the landscape is valuable. In time, they could use these assets to trade for a star who better compliments Young.
Does Murray complement the stars on the Sixers’ roster?
Why The Philadelphia 76ers Do The Deal
The Sixers are playing well. They look like title contenders. Still, one wonders if they have enough talent to beat the Boston Celtics or the Milwaukee Bucks in a playoff series.
Following this deal, they certainly would. At the same time – pure talent acquisition isn’t the name of the game. We already established that. Can Murray play with Embiid and Maxey?
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers Updates
We think so. This year, Murray is shooting well from long range. He’s also an above-average defender and playmaker. He’d give this team’s offense a new dynamic, and he’d compliment their stars at the same time. What more could the Sixers ask for?
