By Raphielle Johnson
Another major domino fell before the official start of free agency, as the Atlanta Hawks reportedly threw in the towel on the Trae Young/Dejounte Murray experiment. Murray is on his way out the door, with Atlanta reportedly trading him to New Orleans in exchange for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, EJ Liddell and two future first-round picks.
Although Murray was a top-40 fantasy player in the 8- and 9-cat formats, his value took a hit compared to his best seasons in San Antonio. Moving to New Orleans, which had a clear need to play point guard, could propel Murray into the top 25 at the very least. However, this won’t be the only change to the Pelicans’ rotation before the start of next season.
Jonas Valanciunas will be an unrestricted free agent, and the Pelicans are expected to have a new starting center next season (Baylor center Yves Missi was the team’s first-round pick). There’s no shortage of trade speculation surrounding Brandon Ingram, and with the lanky forward entering a contract year, he could be the odd man out if David Griffin wants to make any other significant roster changes.
As for the Hawks, while Nance and Daniels aren’t “glamorous” fantasy options, the latter could have added value in his new home. Let’s see how this reported trade will impact fantasy basketball next season.
Pelicans receive:
Dejounte Murray
With Atlanta following its run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals with a first-round playoff exit, the Hawks front office pulled off a home run by acquiring Murray from the Spurs in exchange for Danilo Gallinari and three future first-round picks. Murray was coming off his first All-Star season, and the hope was that he could team up with Young and give the Hawks the spark they needed as they hoped to compete in the East. Unfortunately, the fit between the two guards always felt awkward, even as they continued to put up solid individual numbers.
Murray went from the top 10 per game and total value during his final season in San Antonio to being in the top 40 in his first, according to Basketball Monster. Appearing in 74 and 78 games during his two seasons in Atlanta primarily protected Murray’s overall value, as he provided top-25 value. Last season, he averaged 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 2.6 3-pointers in 35.7 minutes, shooting 45.9% from the field. and 79.4% from the foul line.
The question fantasy managers will have to answer before drafts this season is whether or not Murray can return to his 2021-22 production or if that quiet campaign was “fool’s gold.” If there are no other significant moves, he will share the basketball with CJ McCollum (24.7 usage), Brandon Ingram (27.2) and Zion Williamson (29.7). While none of these players boasted as high a usage as Young (30.5), Ingram and Williamson finished with higher rates than Murray (26.6).
The departures of Daniels and Nance will benefit some of New Orleans’ bench players, although the need to add talent at the position will become even more significant. Herb Jones, starting as one of the best wing defenders in the NBA, and Trey Murphy are players whose respective fantasy values would be increased if Ingram were traded this summer. Otherwise, the opposite could happen, as Murray’s arrival should move McCollum to the point guard position.
Falcons receive:
Dyson Daniels
EJ Liddell
Larry Nance Jr.
2025 first-round pick (via LAL)
2027 first-round pick (via ATL or MIL)
Atlanta may not have received a star in return, but Murray’s departure will have a significant impact. As noted above, Young had a 30.5 usage rate last season, and that number should increase if the Hawks decide to keep him as their starting point guard. A 3rd round player in the 9-cat format, Ice Trae was a few positions out of the 1st round in the 8-cat format (removing the 4.4 turnovers per game). During the 2021-22 season, Young was a first-round player in per-game value and ranked in the top 5 overall according to Basketball Monster. Jalen Johnson’s continued development may ensure the Hawks’ point guard usage doesn’t skyrocket, but Young will have the ball in his hands even more if there are no other significant moves.
As for the players the Hawks will receive in this reported trade, Daniels should intrigue fantasy managers. He didn’t crack the top 150 in value per game or total last season, averaging 22.3 minutes per game. With restricted free agent Saddiq Bey recovering from a torn ACL and De’Andre Hunter having a checkered medical history as a pro, Daniels could have a slightly more direct path to consistent rotation minutes than he did in New Orleans. However, he only played in 59 and 61 games during his two NBA seasons, so fantasy managers should temper their enthusiasm.
Murray’s departure should also benefit Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kobe Bufkin. The latter played limited NBA minutes as a rookie last season. Could the former start next season as a starter? Even if Bogdanovic remains in the sixth man role, he won’t be short of playing time due to Atlanta’s need to score. As for Liddell, he may be better positioned to provide value physically, as the 2023-24 season was his first after a torn ACL suffered in Summer League sidelined him for the entire 2022-23 season. . However, fantasy managers shouldn’t target him in drafts.
Nance’s situation is interesting, as the Hawks already have Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu on the roster. Capela’s name has come up in trade rumors, and as he enters the final season of his contract, the veteran center could be attractive to teams in need of center help. Nance is in a similar position, as he will also be an unrestricted free agent next summer. As for Okongwu, his new contract goes into effect this season, so Fantasy managers should expect to see him serve as Atlanta’s cornerstone in the middle. Will he be a starter at the start of next season? That’s certainly possible given the rumors surrounding Capela.
