The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to again pursue a blockbuster trade for Atlanta Hawks point guard Dejounte Murray.
The Lakers are said to have held advanced negotiations with the Hawks in an attempt to acquire the only All-Star before the February trade deadline in the 2023-24 NBA season.
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The deal reportedly fell through because Los Angeles didn’t want to send Austin Reaves to Atlanta.
But negotiations should be resumed in the off-season, according to Heavy Sports.
“They pressured Dejounte once, and they will pressure him again,” an Eastern Conference general manager told the outlet.
“He can create, he is a good passer and he can defend very well.
“It looked like they were going to make the deal [in February] but the Hawks retreated.
“A lot of times, the things you work on in February are brought back in the draft, and that’s probably where this is going.”
Trae Young is another Hawks star considered a trade target by Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka.
But there is a belief among NBA circles that Los Angeles would prefer to bring in Murray, 27, over Young, a Western Conference executive told Heavy Sports.
“Whatever the Lakers do, they will put a lot of emphasis on fit,” the executive said.
“Say what you want about their roster, but Rob Pelinka really tried to get pieces that worked together and not just bring up the names.
They learned a few things from the whole Russell Westbrook experience.
If you want to bring in a star, then that’s fine, but he has to be willing to be a third option and he has to defend.
“That’s Dejounte Murray, not Trae.”
Bleacher Report’s Sean Davis recently proposed a framework for a three-team blockbuster deal that could help the Lakers land their new star.
2024 NBA Draft Request – Lottery Picks
- Atlanta Falcons
- Wizards of Washington
- Houston Rockets (via Brooklyn)
- St. Anthony’s incentive
- Detroit pistons
- Charlotte Hornets
- Portland Trail Blazers
- San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto)
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Utah Jazz
- Chicago buffaloes
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Houston)
- Kings of Sacramento
- Portland Trail Blazers (via Golden State)
It included the Charlotte Hornets as a facilitator of the trade.
Los Angeles would receive Murray and Hornets center Nick Richards, while sending Reaves and Rui Hachimura along with 2025 and 2030 first-round picks to Atlanta.
The Hawks would also receive a lottery-protected 2027 first-rounder from the Hornets, acquired from the Miami Heat in the Terry Rozier deal in January, and send De’Andre Hunter to Charlotte in return.
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell would need to decline his $18.7 million player option for 2024-25 — freeing up extra cap space — for the trade to work, Davis pointed out.
Murray signed a four-year, $114.1 million max extension with the Hawks last year.
It includes a player option for the 2027-28 NBA season and cash incentives that could increase his salary to around $120 million.
Former Washington standout will have a $25.5 million cap hit in 2024-25
The Hawks are rumored to be considering a rebuild — with the team landing the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, fueling speculation that Atlanta could hit the reset button.
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