(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
With the NBA trade deadline only a few weeks away, teams around the league are starting to get aggressive in their attempts to improve their roster ahead of February 8.
One team that seems determined to make a trade ahead of next month’s deadline is the Atlanta Hawks, who haven’t lived up to expectations this season once again, with the team currently fighting to stay in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.
At 15-21, the Hawks haven’t been able to get anything going throughout the first half of the 2023-24 NBA regular season, and as a result, appear ready to part ways with one-time All-Star Dejounte Murray.
Murray has attracted some suitors around the league, as he is still a very good player and an ideal addition for most backcourts in the league, with the Los Angeles Lakers potentially among the most interested teams.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Lakers and Hawks have talked about a Murray trade, via NBA on ESPN.
“Atlanta is ready to trade Dejounte Murray,” Wojnarowski said. “They have given some time for the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray backcourt. They are ready to move on from it. Dejounte Murray is the player that they are engaged around the league with. They have talked to the Lakers. They’ve exchanged some ideas on a potential trade, but they’re engaged with a lot of teams.”
“Dejounte Murray is the player that they’re engaged around the league with. They have talked to the Lakers.” @wojespn on the Hawks’ plans for Murray. pic.twitter.com/Bt7eire6Dy
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 12, 2024
With the Lakers currently in a free-fall after winning the NBA’s first-ever In-Season Tournament in Las Vegas, Nevada, the team is desperately looking for a way to bounce back and become the title-contending team that everyone expected them to be this season.
The real sticking point in these trade talks is the insistence of teams wanting Austin Reaves to be included in a deal, which the Lakers front office has been adamant against.
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