Dejounte Murray's chances of a trade deadline move take a significant blow
On Wednesday, Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported that Dejounte Murray was drawing interest from the New Orleans Pelicans. The veteran guard has been attracting interest from multiple teams around the league. Yet, according to reports, there has been little movement in terms of viable trade offers.
On Thursday, Haynes updated his reporting, citing the Pelicans and Hawks have halted their talks on a potential move for Murray. He also noted how there appears to be "no progress in sight."
It would now appear Murray is likely to remain with the Hawks. He has been considered one of the bigger names available before the Feb. 8 trade deadline. Yet, Atlanta's asking price appears to have deterred every interested party. Of course, things are still fluid and Murray could still change teams.
Yet, given the number of franchises that have reportedly kicked the tires on a deal, Atlanta may be out of options. Fortunately for the Hawks, Murray isn't the one who instigated these trade talks. He hasn't requested out of the franchise. Instead, Atlanta's front office was likely looking for ways to claw back some of the assets it gave up to acquire him in 2022.
Murray has been enjoying a strong season. In 49 games, he's averaging 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.2 assists, shooting 46.6% from the field and 37% from the three-point range. Furthermore, he hasn't allowed speculation about his future to affect his on-court production.
The interesting part of this saga will be seeing how all of the trade discussions have altered Murray's intention to remain with the Hawks long-term. After being floated in trade discussions so publicly, he could decide to look for other opportunities at the end of the season. Yet, with a four-year $114M contract extension set to start in the summer, the Hawks will hold all of the cards in any negotiations.
Things could get interesting between Murray and Atlanta's front office if it continues to try and shop him in the coming months. For now, though, it's looking increasingly likely he will remain with the Hawks for the rest of the season.
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