November 6, 2024

Dejounte Murray trade grades: Who won the Hawks and Spurs deal?

Spurs #Spurs

It’s happened: A much discussed deal between the San Antonio Spurs and the Atlanta Hawks that sends Dejounte Murray — a terrific point guard coming off his first All-Star season who can score and defend — to a team that pairs him in its backcourt with Trae Young.

WOW. Think about that. Scary.

Plus, the Spurs appear to be fully tanking and the Hawks now look on paper like a team that could be really good in the East.

As we’ve done in the past, we’ll grade the trade for both sides to help break down who won and lost the deal.

Here’s the full trade, via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski:

HAWKS GET: Dejounte Murray

SPURS GET: Danilo Gallinari and these picks:

  • 2023 first-round pick from Hornets
  • Hawks 2025 and 2027 first-round picks (per Zach Lowe, they’re unprotected).
  • A pick swap in 2026.
  • (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)

    GRADE: A-

    The guy above? He’s going to be REALLY happy about this one.

    Murray gives Trae Young the kind of help he really needs to take the pressure off of the star guard. Now, that star-studded backcourt will be surrounded by John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter and Clint Capela. A formidable rotation to say the least.

    I have one slight concern: Young is SO good with the ball in his hands. Will there be any problem about who’s the primary ball handler? Any concerns about Young off the ball?

    The answer there: This is a really good problem to have when you have two spectacular guards. Plus, the Hawks didn’t even have to trade Collins in this one! A truly fantastic trade.

    (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

    GRADE: B-

    Look, I get it: If the Spurs want to tank and start over, they have to get something back for a player like Murray. And they did.

    The question always is how good those picks will be. If the Hawks are as good as they look on paper, those picks won’t be great assuming Young and Murray stay together for the next few years. But it’s a risk you take when Murray could be in line to make A LOT more money in a couple of years and the team — with Lonnie Walker IV, Devin Vassell, Joshua Primo, Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan as a young core — nowhere near contention.

    I would have hoped the Spurs would get more for a player of Murray’s caliber. But maybe this goes from a B- to an A in the distant future and that’s the answer.

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