Getty LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives against Dejounte Murray #5 of the Atlanta Hawks.
The Los Angeles Lakers want Atlanta Hawks’ Dejounte Murray. But the problem is they don’t have enough to acquire him in a potential bidding war, according to TNT/Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.
“Sources relate to me that teams that have reached out to check on the availability of Dejounte Murray. Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers are a few of the teams out of many,” Haynes reported on January 5.
However, he quickly added that the Lakers do not have what the Hawks desire in a return package for the former All-Star guard.
“Any type of deal centered around Dejounte Murray, you would think Austin Reaves will be a part of that and Rui Hachimura will probably be in it. And for Atlanta, that just wouldn’t be enough. So Lakers, they have answers but the problem is they need more pieces that are going to be attractive for the Atlanta Hawks.”
The Lakers are limited in draft capital with only their 2029 or 2030 first-round pick available for an in-season trade. They could only expand their draft capital after the next NBA Draft.
The 6-foot-5 Murray is the two-way guard that the Lakers need in their starting lineup next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The 27-year-old Murray is averaging 20.5 points, 5.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 38% from the field.
And it helps that he is also a Klutch Sports client like the Lakers superstars. But they would need to rope in a third team or acquire more draft assets if they are going to bid for his services.
The 76ers have plenty of draft capital after the James Harden trade.
Bob Myers Weighs in on Lakers Situation
Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers weighed in on the Lakers’ situation before Wednesday’s loss to the Miami Heat.
“Look, with LeBron [James], it’s amazing how well he’s playing,” Pelinka said on NBA Countdown on January 3. “If you’re the GM, if you’re Rob [Pelinka], you cannot go into the deadline, and say, ‘Yeah, we’re 25 and 26. And we’re good.’ You won’t, they won’t. They just can’t do it. He won’t let him, by the way. He’s good at that.”
The Lakers’ 110-96 loss to the Heat brought them below .500 for the first time since the start of the In-Season Tournament. James left without speaking to reporters. Coach Darvin Ham’s seat is warming up. His key players Davis and Reaves are already tired of using the team’s health as an excuse.
The next 18 games between now and the February 8 trade deadline will dictate this Lakers roster’s future. Ten of those games are at Crypto.com arena where they own an 11-5 record, including the jarring loss to a Heat team without Jimmy Butler.
“Sh*Tty” Lakers Locker Room
Reaves had his best game since the In-Season Tournament championship with 24 points and eight assists. Yet the loss stung him.
When they became the first-ever NBA In-Season Tournament champions, the vibes in the Lakers locker room were immaculate.
But right now?
“Sh*tty,” Reaves told reporters point-blank.
“We’re losing,” Reaves quickly added. “Anytime you lose, the vibe should be off, you know? If I went in there and the vibe wasn’t off after the rough stretch that we’ve had, then I’d be concerned.”