Getty Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs listens to Gregg Popovich head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.
The Los Angeles Lakers will face stiff competition even if they decide to include Austin Reaves in a potential Dejounte Murray trade.
“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,” The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on the January 9 episode of “Run It Back” on FanDuel TV.
“Dejounte Murray is trade eligible starting today…One team that has a level of exploratory interest I’m told, is his former team, the San Antonio Spurs.”
@ShamsCharania on Dejounte Murray’s current situation.
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 are also limited in draft capital, with 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.
The 6-foot-5 Murray has scored 20-plus points in each of his last five games, averaging gaudy numbers: 25.2 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 51% from the field and 46% from deep.
Murray has a 6-foot-10 wingspan, the kind of length that the Lakers need in their backcourt to fortify their point-of-attack defense.
The 27-year-old Murray was a former All-Star (2022) and an All-Defensive Second Team guard (2018).
Hawks Want Austin Reaves
The Lakers can join the bidding war for Murray’s services only if they are willing to give up Reaves, according to Action Network’s Matt Moore.
“Murray is an upgrade in playmaking and defense over D’Angelo Russell, who would be included in any deal. The Hawks, three different league sources asserted this week, would be open to a Lakers deal if it includes Austin Reaves. Reaves has played better individually as of late, but the Lakers are seven points worse per 100 possessions with Reaves on the floor vs. on the bench, the second-worst mark of any rotation player behind the now-benched Jaxson Hayes,” Moore wrote on January 10.
The Lakers, however, are reluctant to trade Reaves, a homegrown player who is a budding star.
Lakers Stars Co-Sign D’Angelo Russell’s Demotion
Lakers coach Darvin Ham’s decision to move Russell to the bench had the blessings of the team’s top stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.
“In his place, Ham went with a big, switchable group of Davis, James, [Jarred] Vanderbilt, [Cam] Reddish and Taurean Prince, hoping to up the team’s defensive impact,” McMenamin wrote on January 9. “The lineup change, sources told ESPN, was not a unilateral decision — Ham consulted with James and Davis on the concept.”
Russell is averaging 11.3 points and 5.3 assists since moving to the bench. The Lakers former starting point guard contributed 11 points and five assists against the Raptors. More importantly, he was a plus-7 during his 17 minutes on the floor.
Whatever value was left in Russell’s stocks eroded with his demotion to the bench. He already took a hit in the playoffs when he became unplayable.