Murray Trade Will Have Massive Impact on Spurs

On Friday night, the Atlanta Hawks traded Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, and first-round picks in 2025 and 2027.

The trade has massive effects on the San Antonio Spurs, and not just because Murray used to play for the Silver and Black.

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Now that the Hawks have seemingly made a decision about who to hand the keys of the franchise to, Trae Young will take over in the backcourt, right?

Well, hold your horses. If the Hawks are content on running things back with Young and first-overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, they will need to add more talent in the coming years. Unfortunately for Atlanta, the Spurs own their draft picks in 2025 and 2027, with a swap in 2026. All of those are unprotected.

With Young being the only established star on Atlanta's roster, they will be bad for the foreseeable future and won't be able to capitalize on the high picks they will receive from the Draft Lottery.

Unless they can somehow get those picks back. The Spurs and Hawks have been linked for much of the offseason, with the Spurs exploring their interest in Young.

If the Hawks are not satisfied with their future outlook--and they shouldn't be--then they can get a haul of picks from a team guaranteed to be bad in exchange for Young, and perhaps no team is more likely to be bad than the Hawks.

In short, the Spurs are in a prime position to trade for Young in exchange for the Hawks' future draft picks.

Young has averaged 26 points, 10.4 assists, and shot 35.4 percent from deep over the last two seasons. His defense is questionable at best, but in a lineup with defensive stalwarts Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and Victor Wembanyama, his limitations can be hidden.