Dejounte Murray trade grade: Pelicans sign All-Star guard to major deal with Atlanta Hawks, according to report

According to ESPN, the Atlanta Hawks are reportedly trading All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, a 2025 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick. The Hawks were long rumored to be parting ways with either Murray or Trae Young, and now it appears they have made a decision, and Murray is joining the Pelicans to play alongside Zion Williamson. Will be.

With Murray leaving the Hawks, Atlanta has now officially moved on from the short-term backcourt of Young and Murray. The two played only two seasons together in Atlanta, including a first-round playoff exit in Year 1, and a disappointing 36–46 record the previous season. Despite the Hawks’ poor performance this season, Murray averaged a career-high 22.5 points along with 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds. He shot nearly 46% from the floor and a nearly career-high 36.3% from deep on more than seven attempts per game.

This is a solid move for the Pelicans, and it appears to be a necessary one for the Hawks, so let’s break down this deal and see where the value is on both sides. Here are our grades for Murray Trade.

New Orleans Pelicans: B+

The Pelicans really needed someone to solidify their backcourt alongside CJ McCollum, and they are getting that with Murray. With that, it will allow McCollum to move back to his more natural position of shooting guard. Murray could have the ball in his hands more, and McCollum could play the role he was so successful with with Damian Lillard with the Trail Blazers.

The move gives the Pelicans another scoring threat behind McCollum and Zion Williamson, and potentially Brandon Ingram, depending on his future with the team. Ingram has long been rumored as a summer trade candidate, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that New Orleans is hoping to find common ground on a contract extension with Ingram. If he stays with the Pelicans, it will be interesting to see how they all share the ball, because as we saw with the Hawks, Murray is better when he has the ball in his hands.

Regardless, Murray’s 3-point volume – and efficiency – will help a New Orleans team that ranked 24th in 3-point attempts. What’s more, his impact extends with or without the ball, he can score off the dribble, and in a season in which he earned All-Star honors with the Spurs, he demonstrated his ability to facilitate at a high level. Also showed his court vision. , averaging over nine assists a game.

The Pelicans probably get the most value in Murray on the defensive side of the ball. Standing at 6-foot-5, Murray has a wingspan of 6-foot-10, making life difficult for opposing guards on the perimeter. He earned All-Defensive honors during the 2017–18 season, and now joins newly named All-Defensive forward Herbert Jones on the roster. The Pelicans are coming off a season in which they had the sixth-best defense in the league. Adding Murray to the mix increases that protection even more.

Atlanta Hawks: B

The Hawks were rumored to move Murray or Young at some point, and before the trade deadline it looked as if Murray would end up with the Lakers. But Atlanta retained him for the remainder of the season and got two first-round picks, as well as a solid young player in Daniels. The 2025 first-round pick is coming from the Lakers, and the 2027 pick will be either the Bucks or Pelicans at worst, so neither one will hold much value in the grand scheme of things. But next year’s draft is expected to be deep, and even if L.A.’s choice is a mid-to-late first-rounder, Atlanta could have some high upside with whoever they select.

With Murray gone, the Hawks have a little clarity on where they want to go for the remainder of the offseason. We’ll have to see if they plan to be competitive next season, because despite a season where they made the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hawks haven’t had much success with Young as their focal point. He’s only 25 years old, and was the reason the Hawks made this trip in the first place, but his efficiency has declined over the past two seasons, and he’s still one of the worst defenders in the league.

There is an option here in which the Hawks could hit the full reset button and move on from Young to enter a rebuild. Atlanta recently drafted Zachary Riesacher with the No. 1 pick, and Young would still bring a valuable asset on the trade market. But if the plan is to make additional moves to continue building around Young for the foreseeable future, Atlanta received plenty of assets from the deal that can be put to further use.