NBA Trade Rumors: Atlanta Hawks' bold asking price for Dejounte Murray revealed
NBA Trade Rumors: The Atlanta Hawks' bold asking price for Dejounte Murray has been revealed. Is it too much considering the circumstances?
As the NBA Trade Deadline draws closer and closer, I think it's safe to say that Dejoune Murray is widely expected to be one of the bigger names on the move. Along with Pascal Siakam, it would be surprising if the Atlanta Hawks didn't decide to move on from the Trae Young-Murray backcourt experiment.
Where Murray will land is an entirely different question. There is reportedly a flurry of teams that are expected to express interest in trading for Murray, but whether or not any of those teams are willing to meet the Hawks' asking price for the All-Star guard remains to be seen.
According to a recent report, the asking price has been revealed. Per The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor, the Hawks are asking for two first-round picks in exchange for Murray. O'Connor adds that no teams have managed to reach the asking price thus far in trade discussions.
Is the Atlanta Hawks' asking price outrageous?
On one hand, two future first-round picks may seem pretty bold for a player who hasn't made an All-Star game since 2022. But at the same rate, I believe that the Hawks recognize what type of talent Murray represents. Even though the Murray experiment may not have worked in Atlanta, there's a very real chance that he ends up playing a vital role for another contender.
The big question is whether any of the interested teams in Murray believe that he's the final piece of their championship-seeking puzzle. And whether adding that final piece in the way of Murray is worth two future picks.
From Atlanta's perspective, it's not outrageous to ask for two future first-rounders. Especially considering that they gave up three first-round picks and a pick swap to acquire Murray from the San Antonio Spurs a couple of offseasons ago.
The Hawks are hoping they could recoup at least two first-round picks from this gamble and whiff of an experiment. Ideally, there's a team that will take the leap of faith and meet the Hawks' demands over the next few weeks ahead of the trade deadline.
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Ultimately, whether the Hawks trade Murray or not could come down to which side becomes more desperate in negotiations. How much does Atlanta want to move on from Murray vs. how badly a team wants to add Murray ahead of this year's stretch run? It's certainly something to watch over the next few weeks.