Getty Dejounte Murray #5 of the Atlanta Hawks shoots against Aaron Gordon #50 of the Denver Nuggets.
The Los Angeles Lakers‘ search for speed and quickness in the backcourt has led them to pursue Atlanta Hawks’ two-way star Dejounte Murray.
However, a new threat emerged in the Toronto Raptors, who have Pascal Siakam as their biggest trade asset, for the Lakers in their bid to land Murray, according to TNT/Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.
“Rival executives believe the Lakers and Raptors, to name a few, will begin progressing to more serious discourse with the Atlanta Hawks pertaining to star guard DeJounte Murray, sources say,” Haynes wrote on January 12.
“But it remains to be seen if the Lakers have enough attractive assets to entice Atlanta. Atlanta is not operating as if Murray has to be dealt by the deadline. They have made it known in league circles that they’re more than comfortable keeping him in the fold and revisiting his future in the offseason.”
The Lakers’ most attractive trade asset that can rival Siakam is Austin Reaves, which could interest the Hawks. However, Los Angeles remains steadfast in keeping Reaves.
The Lakers’ two-game winning streak snapped on Thursday, January 11, in a blowout loss 127-109 to the Phoenix Suns. They had seven players in double figures but the problem was they could not stop the Suns’ backcourt.
Bradley Beal hit 8 3-pointers en route to a season-high 37 points while Devin Booker added 31 in an offensive explosion that crystalized once more the Lakers’ lack of dependable point-of-attack defense.
Th 6-foot-5 Murray with his 7-foot wingspan could certainly help the Lakers fix some of their defensive issues.
A Klutch Sports client like the Lakers top stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Murray has three more guaranteed years after this season and a player option for the 2027-28 season.
Spurs Interested in Dejounte Murray Reunion
Another threat to the Lakers is their old Western Conference rivals and Murray’s former team, the San Antonio Spurs, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
“The Hawks are gonna begin escalating trade conversations even more. The Lakers are suitors we’ve discussed. They have a need at that [lead guard] position. We’re still waiting to see exactly how his market shakes out but one team that has a level of exploratory interest, I’m told, is his former team, the San Antonio Spurs,” Charania said on the January 9 episode of “Run It Back” on FanDuel TV.
Unlike Los Angeles, San Antonio has a deep draft capital and young players — a combination that could entice Atlanta if the Hawks are going to rebuild. The Lakers have only one first-round pick (2029 or 2030) at their disposal for any in-season trade.
Atlanta sent San Antonio three first-round picks, along with a pick swap in 2026, to acquire Murray two summers ago. They will try to recoup close to that as the bidding war begins for Murray, whose team-friendly $120 million, four-year extension kicks in next season.
Cam Reddish Hurt Again
Cam Reddish left Thursday’s game against the Suns with left knee soreness. He finished scoreless in eight minutes.
With Reddish hurt again, Max Christie saw increased playing time. The 2022 second-round pick delivered with 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists off the bench.
If Reddish misses time, Christie and Jarred Vanderbilt are the candidates to replace him in the Lakers’ starting unit.