After this unexpected joy in the 2021 playoffs, their impressive performance last season in the much improved Eastern Region was a major problem for all involved. The pressure from the property was increasing – again – especially with the supermax expansion of Trae Young that was to start for the 2022-23 campaign. The high stakes meant it was time to make another move. to raise the collective ceiling of this team that had promised so much before two post-seasons. The five-game losing streak in the first round from Miami made it clear how much the Hawks needed a minor perimeter playmaker next to Young. The organization believed this was a need before the series, sources told The Athletic, and this was only highlighted by the Heat ‘s ability to chase the Atlanta All-NBA guard and force him to leave the ball at an unprecedented level. Atlanta had no scoring threats or fictitious threats to make up for Young who was completely removed from the game due to Miami’s fitness and length. Enter the All-Star 2021-22, Dejounte Murray, the San Antonio Spurs guard heading to Atlanta in an exchange for Danilo Gallinari, a protected first-round pick in the 2023 top-16 through Charlotte, 2025 and 2027 unprotected first round options and In 2026 the exchange of options is also unprotected, sources told The Athletic. It’s a winning move – now, if it ever was, a clear sign that the Hawks are committed to maximizing the Young era while backing a defense that ranked 26th in 100 points per 100 possession last season. But it is also a heavy price to pay, the type of relocation, the mortgage — your future that will be monitored and scrutinized for years to come. The Hawks hope that this will go well enough for Murray to want to stay after the expiration of his current deal in the summer of 2024 (he owes $ 16.5 million and $ 17.7 million over the next two seasons). Murray is eligible to sign a three-year, off-season extension of up to $ 74.7 million after incentives, but is unlikely to agree to a post-All-Star season he just had with the Spurs. In the short term, the Hawks just have to find a way to cope in an Eastern District with Boston, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Miami and Brooklyn remaining as formidable as ever. Just a week ago, Landry Fields, Atlanta’s upcoming general manager, said the front office “had a mandate to get better and we want to get better.” The Hawks are better and there is a chance for even greater improvement in the coming days. As all signs continue to indicate that John Collins will be swapping the Hawks in the near future, it is difficult to reduce Atlanta’s potential for next season and beyond without knowing their return to this widely anticipated deal. Sources say that the trade talks about this Murray deal originally concerned Collins, before the Spurs rotated. It is also possible that the Hawks will explore the trades of either Kevin Huerter or Bogdan Bogdanovic, who may be heading for bench roles as a result of Murray’s addition. Huerter signed a four-year, $ 65 million contract last season, while Bogdanovic owes $ 18 million this season and is recovering from an out-of-season knee operation that is expected to sideline him through the training camp. Murray was the only player to average at least 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds last season, with only Luka Doncic and James Harden approaching. Murray is not a threat from the periphery, as he shoots only 33.3 percent out of 3 in his career and only 32.7 percent last season. Not Klay Thompson for Young’s much-mentioned basketball doppelgänger Steph Curry. It is not even close. While Murray is one of the top scorers in the league on the perimeter, making 44% of midfield jumps and 64 per cent of his attempts at the rim, he had a usage rate of 26.8 which far exceeded that of Huerter ( 16.9). The Hawks’ off-guard. Murray will need the ball and Young may need to learn the art of playing outside the ball, like Carrie. This will be an adjustment for Young and Murray, as the two All-Stars played 100% of their points on the point guard last season, per Cleaning the Glass. However, since Yang entered the league, the Hawks have always believed that they could fully release the best version of Yang if he embraced the removal of the ball. This ability is not entirely new to Young, who did it extensively during his days at the AAU with the Denver Nuggets striker Michael Porter Jr. In his limited off-ball efforts at NBA level, Young was excellent. Last season, he scored 1.3 points per spot up, ranking 97th per Synergy Sports. Young made 48.1 percent of his 77 tries for 3 catch-and-shoot points last season. Now that Young has a potential escort to Murray, who can direct the show with or without him on the floor, the Hawks can unlock their superstar’s full offensive arsenal. All it took was Gallinari’s partially guaranteed contract, a horde of asset drafts and a few tense trading days. As the Hawks and Spurs talked about the deal late last week and over the weekend, there was a sense of confusion and mistrust from some of the parties on the Atlanta side. Were the Spurs really willing to part ways with a 25-year-old who is widely regarded as one of the best under-the-radar talents in the league? Would they really welcome a complete overhaul during Greg Popovich’s twilight? The Hawks knew the price would be high to land Murray, but the opportunity to solve so many of their problems by combining him with Young in their backcourt was too good to lose. Then came the disturbing silence. Sources say the Spurs remained silent for a long time earlier this week, with Hawks officials wondering internally if San Antonio could back down from a possible deal or perhaps gain momentum in trade talks elsewhere. The timing was crucial for the Hawks, as Gallinari’s $ 21.45 million contract for this season was to be fully secured by Wednesday afternoon. However, while Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reported that there were Murray-centric talks between the Spurs and Minnesota last week, the Timberwolves front office was clearly not comfortable doing an all-in to land him. The Knicks were cited as a possible Murray landing site, but a source familiar with the matter said they did not speak to San Antonio about him. Atlanta, meanwhile, was clearly determined to find another elite wing talent. As the talks with Murray unfolded, sources say the Hawks were closely monitoring Brooklyn’s situation and – like so many other teams throughout the league – were seriously preparing for the possibility of Nets star Kevin Durand seeking a swap. While Kyrie Irving’s decision to choose the final year of his contract put a quick end to Durant’s chatter, the Hawks’ interest spoke volumes about the scope and urgency of their search. After all, Murray was their man. Related reading (Top photo by Dejounte Murray: Brett Davis / USA Today)
