Five teams reportedly hold trade interest in Hawks star

Dejounte Murray is becoming an increasingly popular trade target around the NBA. The Atlanta Hawks guard is widely expected to be moved ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline. His fit alongside Trae Young hasn't gone to plan. Both players need the ball in their hands to be most effective. Murray's defensive upside has also failed to cover up for Young's shortcomings on that side of the floor.

As such, the Hawks are expected to field multiple trade offers for Murray. According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, five teams have shown legitimate interest in the veteran guard.

"The Hawks have been considered one of the more aggressive front offices this season, sources said, in terms of teams that have been willing to approach rival executives with actual trade concepts as opposed to general interest in specific players," Fischer wrote. "And at this juncture, to varying degrees, the Lakers, Knicks, Sixers, Heat and Pistons are five suitors expected to engage Atlanta about acquiring Murray over the coming days and weeks before Feb 8."

Of the teams Fischer mentions, the Miami Heat make the most sense for Murray. He would instantly become their starting guard and primary ball-handler. He would add to Erik Spoelstra's defensive-minded roster. He would also provide some secondary scoring behind Jimmy Butler. However, the Heat have their eyes on bigger fish. Donovan Mitchell is rumored to be a trade target for Pat Riley, which could mean Miami saves its trade assets for further down the line. 

Regardless of where Murray goes, he will undoubtedly be part of a starting lineup. The tricky part is ensuring he has enough on-ball reps to get the best out of him on offense. We've already seen what it looks like when he's forced into sharing ball-handling duties. That's why the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons make so little sense as potential trade destinations. 

Wherever Murray ends up, his presence will help improve a team's backcourt. He will bring on-ball creation, point-of-attack defense and off-the-dribble scoring. There's a reason so many teams are interested in acquiring him. He could be the biggest name to swap teams around the trade deadline. The hope is that the team that acquires him has a plan on how best to utilize his skill set. Otherwise, he could be in a similar situation to what he's currently dealing with in Atlanta.