The Spurs could look to reunite with this former guard
The Atlanta Hawks are expected to trade Dejounte Murray before the Feb. 8 trade deadline. The experiment of pairing him with Trae Young hasn't worked despite Murray's upside as a point-of-attack defender.
According to Shams Charania, who was speaking on a recent episode of FanDuel TV's "Run It Back," the San Antonio Spurs could be interested in a reunion with their former guard.
"Dejounte Murray is trade eligible, starting [Tuesday]," Charania said. "The Hawks are going to be escalating conversations even more. The Lakers are a suitor, we've discussed. They have a need at that position. We're still waiting to see how his market shakes out. One team that has a level of exploratory interest, I'm told, is his former team, the San Antonio Spurs ...They're going to take a very patient approach in their building process. There's not a real level of urgency ...They have a runway to make things happen if they want to."
The Spurs drafted Murray with the 29th pick in 2016. He spent six seasons with the franchise before being traded to the Hawks in the summer of 2022.
However, Murray could be the ideal point guard to pair with Victor Wembanyama. At 27, Murray is just entering his prime and could instantly provide a defensive boost to the Spurs, especially on the perimeter.
Murray would also offer a high-level playmaker to ensure Wembanyama is getting the ball in his hands in the right spots. He also knows the Spurs system and has proven he can flourish under the tutelage of Gregg Popovich.
San Antonio may feel that Murray is old enough to be a leader while still being young enough to fit into their timeline. Murray has impressed this season, averaging 20.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and five assists per game, shooting 46.7% from the field and 38.4% from three-point range.
San Antonio is in desperate need of a veteran ball-handler who can produce those sorts of numbers on a consistent basis, especially if they can also defend at a high level.
Whether the Spurs are willing to delve into their treasure trove of tradeable assets to bring Murray back to San Antonio remains to be seen. The front office could stand pat in the hope that an All-Star shakes loose during the summer.
However, the familiarity between franchise and player could be enough to entice the Spurs into sitting down at the negotiating table; from there, it's a matter of whether they're willing to meet the Hawks' asking price. Stranger things have happened.
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