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LA Lakers trade deal with Hawks for Dejounte Murray termed ‘unrealistic’ for THIS reason: Report
Trade talks sizzle as Lakers eye Dejounte Murray from Hawks, but experts deem the deal 'unrealistic.' Dive deeper into the report for the inside scoop
Reports suggest the Los Angeles Lakers approached the Atlanta Hawks with a trade proposition for guard Dejounte Murray, including a 2029 first-round pick and a pick swap.
However, having Dejounte Murray, the former All-Star point guard, transferred from the Atlanta Hawks to the Los Angeles Lakers is currently deemed "unrealistic," says NBA analyst Marc Stein.
Stein claims that although the dynamics of trade discussions usually change this season, insiders view the prospect of Murray joining the Lakers before the deadline, which is this Sunday, as "unrealistic."
One of the alleged reasons is D'Angelo Russell's recent performance, currently experiencing a peak shooting streak after his reentry into the Lakers' starting lineup on January 13.
Russell, aged 27, has maintained an average of 27.5 points and 6.4 assists per game over the last eight matches, with a shooting rate of 52.3 percent from the field and 54.2 percent from a three-point range. The Lakers have also enjoyed a 5-3 record during this period.
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Lakers' pursuit of Dejounte Murray faces setback in trade talks with Hawks
In a Friday report by Jake Fischer from Yahoo Sports, it was stated that the most proactive bid for Murray to date came from the Lakers.
However, discussions hit a deadlock due to Russell's involvement and the unwillingness of Atlanta's management to inherit his remaining contract. This includes an $18.6 million player option for the 2024-25 season (information via Spotrac).
According to Stein, the Lakers had considered a deal involving Russell with a first-round pick from the 2029 draft and another round of pick swapping. However, they scaled back their chase after witnessing Russell's recent proficient performances.
Sources suggest a significant reduction in trade talks between the two front offices in the past few days.
Interestingly, components of the speculative Murray trade package have been employed by Los Angeles in their negotiations with other teams, heading towards the February 8 deadline (as per Anthony F. Irwin of the Lakers Lounge podcast).
Even with the Hawks' disappointing 18-27 standing and some defensive inconsistency, Murray has had a praiseworthy individual season. His averages so far include 21.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.1 assists per game, and shooting splits of 46.9/38.8/83.0 over 45 games.
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