The Dejounte Murray and Trae Young experiment is over.
Can the Dejounte Murray and Zion Williamson experiment be more successful?
We’re about to find out. The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Here’s how the trade breaks out:
Pelicans receive: Dejounte Murray
Hawks receive: Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, Lakers unprotected 2025 first-round pick, worse of Bucks/Pelicans 2027 first-round picks
This trade likely comes together fast because Murray’s contract extension kicks in July 1, at which point he gets a $12 million trade bonus (hat tip ESPN’s Bobby Marks). This trade also hard-caps the Pelicans at the first apron, which they are currently $8.5 million below.
A lot of thoughts here.
• Hawks fans appear split on this deal, but I’m not sure the team could have gotten much more. Dyson Daniels is a young player coveted around the league and a real get, and that Lakers pick next season has a lot of potential. Don’t forget that Larry Nance Jr. is great in the locker room and a solid role player, and there’s a second first-rounder.
• As a reminder, the Hawks aren’t in a position to just tear it down and tank because the Spurs have their picks (two outright in 2025 and 2027, plus swap rights in 2026). What the Hawks have done is replenish that with the Lakers 2025 pick and the Hawks or Bucks pick in 2027.
• Trae Young is staying now, and the team will build around him. Next season the Hawks could roll out a starting five of Young, Daniels (who is the kind of quality defender needed next to Young), No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson and Clint Capela (although the Hawks continue to explore trades for the center).
• The Pelicans just became a lot more dangerous, even in a deep West. Murray averaged 22.5 points and 6.4 assists a game while shooting 36.3% from 3 last season. He’s 6'5" and a plus defender, and CJ McCollum has worked off the ball a lot in the past in Portland — the Pelicans think that pairing can work.
• Next season, New Orleans likely starts Murray and McCollum in an outstanding backcourt. It can put Trey Murphy III and Zion Williamson at the forward spots, then it must figure out the five, where Jonas Valanciunas is a free agent and the sides appear ready to part ways. This team would still have Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado coming off the bench.
• It feels like they still need to trade Brandon Ingram, something that has been explored in recent weeks. Ingram is an All-Star level player, but his game just does not mesh with this backcourt and Zion, and the team does not want to pay him what he’s worth in his next contract (this coming season is his last on his current deal).
• As always with the Pelicans, everything starts with Zion’s health, but if he is out there and Murray is the outside to his inside, this team can make some noise in a deep and talented West.
