It’s rumor season in the NBA. We’re starting to hear whispers. Some quality players seem to be available, and some surprising teams are interested in them.
Take the Detroit Pistons. This is the worst team in the NBA. The Pistons should be sellers at the trade deadline, right? Not so fast. By all indications, the Pistons are looking to upgrade their roster.
Perhaps that would be wise. The Pistons have been in the league’s basement for too long. It may be wise to simply make a win-now move and hope for the best.
Recently, it’s been rumored that the Pistons are interested in Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks.
Here’s a deal that sends him there.
NBA Trade Proposal: Detroit Pistons Land Atlanta Hawks’ Dejounte Murray
Atlanta Hawks Receive: G/F Joe Harris, G/F Alec Burks, 2026 First-Round Pick (DET), 2028 First-Round Pick (DET)
Detroit Pistons Receive: G Dejounte Murray
People expect the worst teams in the NBA to sell off assets. Realistically, it’s more common for those teams to stand pat. They’re focused on their lottery odds – if those odds are already strong, they may be content with the group that they have.
More often, it’s mediocre teams who sell. They’re trying to get to the same place that the league’s worst teams are. Being mediocre is worse than being bad. A mediocre team won’t land a top lottery pick, but they won’t make a deep playoff run either.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons Updates
This season, the Hawks are embodying mediocrity. That’s why they’re widely seen as a potential seller leading up to the deadline.
Should they send Murray to the Pistons?
Why The Atlanta Hawks Do The Deal
There’s a contradiction when you trade a good player to a team in exchange for their draft capital. You’re making that team better. As a result, you’re making those picks less valuable.
Sure. How much better will Murray make the Pistons? Yes, he’ll improve the team. Still, they’re the worst team in the NBA. Murray would have to develop remarkable chemistry with the rest of the Pistons for them to outright avoid the lottery next year.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons Updates
So, the Hawks are getting at least one valuable pick here. They’re also getting a pair of expiring contracts. Burks is a useful player who fits this roster, and the Hawks would have an inside track on resigning him this summer.
Should the Pistons give them that inside track?
Why The Detroit Pistons Do The Deal
We’re not exactly selling this deal from the Pistons’ point of view. They’re acquiring Murray, and we expect them to stay in the lottery next year? What’s the point?
Well, sending Atlanta the 10th to 14th pick would at least feel better than landing the 5th overall pick again. The Pistons have been working the lottery system for years. They’ve got the talent. Arguably, the best thing that they can do is go out and get a good player.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons Updates
Murray is a good player. He’s not necessarily the cleanest fit with this roster – he may squeeze Jaden Ivey out of the starting lineup. In that event, the Pistons could move Ivey for another win-now piece and build around a backcourt of Murray and Cade Cunningham. This rumor may just make enough sense to be real.
