THE Trade with the Atlanta Hawks Sending Dejoute Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for a package of four role players — one of whom is no longer with the team — and two first-round picks is widely considered a good idea. projected to lead to a return to the past for Trae Young and Co.
ESPN projects they will win 31 games, five fewer than in 2023-24, which was their lowest total since 2019-20.
It was also the last time they missed the playoffs until 2023-24.
Murray joins a Pelicans team that is coming off its second playoff appearance in three seasons, and he is happy to do so. New York Knicks forward Josh Hart spent two-plus seasons in New Orleans after a trade from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019.
Hart insisted on “The Roommates Show” podcast with teammate Jalen Brunson that “no one” would ever say he was “happy” to be traded to New Orleans.
Murray totally disagreed.
“Damn I can’t relate!!!” Murray posted on X on August 23. “NOLA I I smiled Since this MF exchange happened to my mother!!!”
The Hawks traded Murray after what the 2021-22 All-Star admitted were two surprisingly tumultuous seasons. His fit with Young on the court was the subject of much consternation, Murray Recognizing the challenges to have two leaders play together.
The duo maintained that their relationship off the field was as follows: as strong as before.
It appears Murray is still not ready to turn the page on a period where he played out of position but still posted good individual statistics.
Murray set career highs with a 22.5-point average and 55.5 percent field goal percentage. He also shot 36.3 percent from the field and made a career-high 7.1 three-point attempts per game. Murray even left in tears during Young’s extended absence through injury. But he was adamant and even in conflict with fans wanting to win rather than relying on statistics.
Speculation over Hawks’ intentions to break up the duo persisted throughout the season.
There was a point where it looked like Young would be the one to leave. That turned out to be wrong, and the three-time All-Star’s salary could play almost as big a role as questions about his fit with a championship-caliber team.
Young is in the third year of a five-year, $215.1 million contract. He will cost $43 million in 2024-25 and has a $48.9 million early termination option for 2026-27.
This adds some time for the Hawks to make it work.
Murray is entering a four-year, $114 million contract extension signed in July 2023. He will count $29.5 million against the salary cap in 2024-25. He has a player option for the final season in 2027-28 worth $31.6 million.
The Hawks were 72-80 with Murray on the roster. Interestingly, Murray’s usage rate in 2023-24 was also the second-highest of his career, according to Basketball Reference.
His mark during his time with the Hawks was 2.1 percent higher than his time with the San Antonio Spurs.
There is still questions on global adjustment alongside Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum in New Orleans. But Murray has at least approached the next chapter of his career the way he did with the Hawks.
