Trae YoungMichael Hickey/Getty Images
For months, we’ve been hearing about the potential breakup of the Atlanta Hawks’ backcourt.
Trae Young and Dejounte Murray simply do not fit together, and conventional wisdom suggests the former would command the bigger return.
But thanks in part to his contract, Murray might actually have more value right now.
“Following the combine and pro day events for several agencies, there remains a belief around the league that Atlanta will break up the backcourt pairing of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray,” Scotto wrote. “Several executives who spoke with HoopsHype say they value Murray over Young due to his contract length and average annual salary.”
There’s plenty of logic to that idea, but this is also prime disinformation and manipulation season. If those quotes are coming from executives outside Atlanta, this could merely be an effort to bend Young’s value in the trade market.
And while Murray is bigger and more versatile defensively, it’s hard to imagine him getting the Hawks more than Young would.
Young has been a lightning rod for criticism for years, particularly because of his defense, but he is still one of the game’s most dynamic offensive engines and pick-and-roll playmakers.
Even if the 25-year-old can’t command the four or five first-round picks and/or pick swaps that other stars have in recent years, Atlanta should still be able to get a good return.
And the resulting core that would include Jalen Johnson, this year’s No. 1 pick and whatever comes back in exchange for Young will be the start of a solid foundation for the future.
