It is officially off-season in the NBA, and of the competing teams of the league, the Los Angeles Lakers are ready to be the most active. After a terrible December slide brought the team back down to earth, it’s clear that the Lakers need to add some extra strength at the trade deadline.
The Lakers have both the marketable assets and the contracts to make almost any trade work financially. The question now is how Rob Pelinka will navigate the trade waters and who he will ultimately favor on the market. One surprising name that has entered the conversation is Atlanta’s Dejounte Murray. The Murray-Trae Young dynamic just didn’t work in Atlanta, and that elevated the Murray Lakers commercial radar. Trading Murray is possible, but it could be difficult. So, if the Lakers are really interested, it could require a three-team trade. With all of this in mind, the Bleacher Report staff mapped out the next three team trades that would bring Murray to Los Angeles and another All-Star back to Atlanta.
In addition to Murray’s ties to the Lakers, Pascal Siakam is also linked to the Atlanta Hawks. While it checks those boxes, it may not check every box for every team involved in this deal. Let’s dive into the notes, shall we? Los Angeles Lakers Grade: A+ If the Los Angeles Lakers can trade Dand#039;Angelo Russell, one first round pick and sign Dejounte Murray, that would be a big win. Murray would be much more influential than Russell in Los Angeles and play winning basketball. Murrayand’s defense got worse in Atlanta, but that’s mostly because of the system and sharing the backfield with Trae Young. He is a former All-Defensive Team player who is under contract for four more seasons after that breakout season. It would be an unstoppable win for the Lakers.
Atlanta Hawks Grade: B- If the Hawks had their way, they would probably try to keep Murray in Atlanta to create a big triangle with Siakami. But if the Murray-Young tandem is truly broken beyond repair, it would make the most sense to flip Murray to Siakam. However, this move comes with really big risks. Basically, the Hawks would go all-in to fight if the team doesn’t even make the playoffs. Additionally, Siakam is a free agent after this season and there is no guarantee that he will sign a new contract in Atlanta. It’s a world where the Hawks get Murray and a first-round pick and get Siakami for less than half a season. If they were on the brink of a championship, it would be a no-brainer. But they are not. Toronto Raptors Class: F I hate to break it to you, but this deal will never happen because of the Toronto Raptors aspect of the deal. This trade is great for the Lakers, could be great for the Hawks, and is absolutely terrible for the Raptors. Siakamandi’s trade value is not as high as Raptors fans think because his contract is expiring. It’s just the nature of the business. That said, Siakam is worth more than a needle in Russell, a former lottery pick who did nothing in Hunter, and a pair of picks that are five years away. This deal is much better for the Raptors. Why would Toronto even bother involving the Lakers? The Raptors would be much better off getting just Murray, Hunter and a first-round pick for Siakami. Murray and the years remaining on his extension are worth more than Russell and a future protected pick.
