The Los Angeles Lakers seem unwavering in their pursuit of Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, even following the passing of the Thursday trade deadline.
Reports indicate that the Lakers are poised to revisit trade discussions with the Hawks regarding Murray during the upcoming offseason, as per insights from Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
Fischer notes, “The Hawks will enter June and July with a very clear understanding of several teams’ valuations of Murray.”
The 2024-25 season marks the commencement of Murray’s lucrative four-year, $114-million extension, which he penned with the Hawks back in 2023.
Displaying career-best statistics, Murray boasts an impressive average of 21.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game across 49 starts for the Hawks this season.
While the Hawks expressed interest in acquiring Austin Reaves in exchange for Murray, the Lakers reportedly rebuffed the notion, signaling no willingness to part ways with Reaves, as per The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
The forthcoming offseason might present a more conducive environment for a potential trade, especially as the Lakers anticipate bolstering their trade assets.
With the acquisition of two additional first-round picks, the Lakers now possess three picks for the upcoming offseason, including those in 2029 and 2031, alongside a selection in 2024 or 2025, contingent on the New Orleans Pelicans’ actions concerning the pick they acquired in the 2019 trade for Anthony Davis.
Anticipating the Lakers’ augmented trade assets, the Hawks might be inclined to explore the possibility of including some of that draft stock in a deal for Murray.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports internal Lakers discussions about assembling a package combining these picks with existing talent to pursue a top-tier star.
Competition for Murray’s services may come from the Pelicans, who reportedly share an interest in the former All-Star guard.
Fischer mentions, “The Hawks are known to value several players on New Orleans’ roster,” although it remains uncertain whether Naji Marshall, one of the players of interest, will remain with the team as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent.
Should the pursuit of Murray by the Lakers prove fruitless, speculation suggests that the Lakers might pivot toward another Hawks standout, Trae Young. Both McMenamin and Fischer have hinted at the Lakers leveraging their draft assets to pursue the 25-year-old guard during the offseason.
