Deal agreed: Warriors finally sign Dejounte Murray for $116 Million’s from Atlanta Hawks… Read more…
The Golden State Warriors are watching their season go from bad to worse after they fell to 17-20 with a 36-point loss to the New Orleans Pelicans at home. The Warriors’ roster as currently constructed is unlikely to help them improve in any considerable way, with a play-in appearance possibly being their best-case right now. But the Lakers showed last season how a winter trade could change the fortunes of a franchise to go from the play-in to the Western Conference Finals.
The Warriors are reportedly interested in Dejounte Murray, with the Hawks guard allegedly on the trade block with teams like the Lakers and Spurs interested. Instead of letting two Western Conference teams improve, the Warriors could make a major move to improve the condition of their roster by adding not only Murray but a hard-nosed center who’ll be willing to do the dirty work.
The Warriors make a bold move to send the Hawks two of its second-round picks back along with a first, the misfiring Andrew Wiggins, a defensive guard like Gary Payton II to fit next to Trae Young, and a talented young prospect like Moses Moody.
The Hawks Take Steps Towards Fixing Their Contention Window
The Murray trade from the 2022 offseason has bit the Hawks badly. After a first-round appearance last year, the Hawks look destined for another play-in appearance at best. Their record improved to 15-21 with a win over the Joel Embiid-less 76ers, but they’re in a dogfight with teams like the Bulls and Raptors, who may just have better rosters at this point. This isn’t the season to compete for the playoffs and Atlanta can use this as a gap year, similar to what the Dallas Mavericks did last season.
Andrew Wiggins has been disappointing for Golden State, averaging 11.7 points and 4.1 rebounds. But he showed flashes of elite 3-and-D plays last season and was arguably the second-most important player on the Warriors title squad just two seasons ago. The Hawks need a dynamic wing like Wiggins next to Trae but will have to rebuild his value over the end of this season to extract his potential next season. A change of scenery may be what Wiggins needs after a challenging season-and-a-half in Golden State.
Young players such as Moses Moody could be immensely valuable, whether it’s to the Hawks’ future contention plans or as a trade chip down the line. He’s averaging 8.7 points and 3.1 rebounds, recently getting an increased role amidst the poorly performing veterans and missing players. Gary Payton II has an injury bug he needs to kick but is a decent salary-filler in this trade, possibly being useful as a defensive guard next to Trae Young.
The Warriors Strengthen Their Roster For A Late-Season Push
One of the biggest concerns the Warriors have been faced with this season is playmaking. The motion offense generates a lot of assists, but there isn’t a single floor-setter on the roster beyond Chris Paul, something that’s been abundantly clear as they’ve lost every game since Paul’s injury. Draymond Green’s absence has further exacerbated this issue and Golden State desperately needs guard play to not only create offense for themselves but for everyone else as well.
Dejounte Murray is the medicine they need. He’s averaging 21.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, coming into his own this season as an offensive player. His defense has taken a hit, but the former All-Defensive guard is young enough to find that level of play once again if he’s motivated. Adding him to Golden State would shore up their guard rotation and give them an offensive option beyond the inconsistent Klay Thompson and struggling Stephen Curry to rely on
