Two days after taking Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks made a big roster move by sending point guard Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans Friday. The Pelicans sent back Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr. and two first-round picks to Atlanta in the transaction.
Full trade on ESPN: Dejounte Murray for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, 2025 first-round pick (via Lakers), 2027 first-round pick (least favorable of Bucks-Pels) https://t.co/4BLEuDodqT
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 28, 2024
Here’s a look at how the move impacts both squads and which team came out ahead when grading the transaction.
Hawks: C
The fit between Murray and Trae Young didn’t work, so Atlanta was right to move on from one of the two guards. Young likely would’ve brought more back, but he’s also the face of the franchise and the guy the Hawks backed instead of Luka Doncic. Also, he’s only 25. Murray dropped off defensively and never really was able to carry the squad while Young was sidelined late in the season. It’s hard to become a contender when both of your guards aren’t stopping anyone defensively. Daniels is a decent defender who can now grow with more usage, while Nance Jr. offers some bounce off the bench. The lobs from Young to Nance Jr. will be fun to watch. The first-round picks are nice and allow the Hawks to stack the draft cupboard a bit but they are unlikely to be high selections barring catastrophe for LA, Milwaukee or New Orleans. I think the Hawks could’ve done better at last year’s deadline or later in the summer.
Pelicans: B+
New Orleans did something impressive here by not having to send either CJ McCollum or Brandon Ingram back to Atlanta in this deal. The Pelicans didn’t have a true point guard for most of last season, with McCollum handling most of those responsibilities. The clunkiness was obvious, especially in the playoffs when Zion Williamson wasn’t on the floor. Murray solves that problem for the time being and even though his defense dropped off in Atlanta, he’s still got a decent foundation on that side of the ball to turn things around. The draft picks won’t matter as long as New Orleans makes deep playoff runs. When it comes to maximizing Williamson’s window, this is a ultimately a very good move for the Pelicans.