Getty Dejounte Murray #5 of the Atlanta Hawks.
If the Los Angeles Lakers want to land Atlanta Hawks star Dejounte Murray in a trade, they are going to need some help. The players they are willing to trade don’t have much trade value and even including a draft pick isn’t enough to overcome that.
“The Lakers and Hawks did have some pretty extensive conversations about a Dejounte Murray trade a couple of weeks ago,” Shams Charania said on Fanduel TV’s “Run It Back” on January 22. It was centered around D’Angelo Russell, a 2029 first-round draft pick, and a pick swap. I’m told the holdup was that Atlanta wanted to find a third team for D’Angelo Russell.”
Specifically, the issue is Russel’s $18 million player option for the second year of his two-year, $36 million contract. Atlanta is looking to avoid bringing back salary beyond this season.
Some also question Russell’s fit alongside Hawks star Trae Young.
66.7% from the field, 54.5% from three – DLo was on point last night 🎯
“They [Atlanta] want to find a spot where they might be able to get an expiring contract back,” Charania said. “I would expect the sides to circle back as we get closer to the February trade deadline.”
This has been a consistent line of reporting regarding the Hawks and Lakers coming together on a potential deal.
Both sides have exchanged ideas, rejecting some. But the deadline has remained the real test.
The Lakers have won three of their last four games. And their current starting lineup when healthy is the same that got them to the Western Conference Finals last season. How eager are they to disrupt that, even at what it might cost?
Could D’Angelo Russell’s Recent Play Boost Trade Value?
The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reported on January 19 that Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent each have “neutral-to-negative” trade value.
But Russell’s play has trended upward, with Charania citing his last five outings in particular.
“I think we need to give him credit, the way he’s playing,” Charania said. “He’s gotten a lot, I think, of flack the last month or so. He’s been in and out of the starting lineup — he’s back in the starting lineup now. And so he’s played at a really high level for the Lakers the last five games.”
D’Angelo Russell last 5 games 🤯
34 PTS | 8 AST | 2 BLK
20 PTS | 7 AST
29 PTS | 3 AST
14 PTS | 6 AST | 2 STL
39 PTS | 8 AST | 2 BLK
52-93 FG (56%)
22-41 3FG (54%)
Los Angeles will certainly need Russell to keep it up if they are hoping to trade him by the deadline on February 8.
Russell helped fuel the trade speculation with his reaction to his big night in a win over the Portland Trail Blazers on January 21. He was visibly emotional. Some fans wondered if he and Hachimura knew of their eventual fate.
The Lakers certainly have a plethora of targets lined up.
Lakers Eyeing Other Guards Besides Dejounte Murray Ahead of Trade Deadline
“The Lakers are doing their due diligence on Dejounte Murray, Bruce Brown Jr. – who just got traded to the Raptors – Tyus Jones, Terry Rozier,” Charania said. “I’m told those are names to keep an eye on.”
The Toronto Raptors’ asking price starts at a future first-round pick and a “quality” player with upside for Brown, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line on January 21.
Brown’s teammate, Gary Trenty Jr., a Klutch Sports client, is also a name to watch, per Buha.
“[Jones] is looking for a starting spot and the money that comes with it,” Action Network’s Matt Moore wrote on January 21.