Even the best athletes in the NBA have limited energy. They have to conserve their effort. Sometimes, that means giving less effort on one end of the floor than the other.
Take Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks. He was once seen as one of the best defensive guards in the NBA. In Atlanta, he’d lost that reputation. Is he conserving energy for the offensive end of the floor?
Either way, it’s hurt his trade value. Murray was a popular trade target at the deadline, but the Hawks didn’t seem to find a good offer for him. Could they send him to the Orlando Magic this summer?
NBA Trade Proposal
Atlanta Hawks Receive: F/C Jonathan Isaac, G/F Joe Ingles, 2025 First-Round Pick (Top 5 Protected – ORL)
Orlando Magic Receive: G Dejounte Murray
The NBA is hard. It’s difficult to handle a huge offensive load and still play with full effort on defense. This is the most competitive league in the world.
That’s what makes building a contender so difficult. Just ask the Hawks. They thought they had a formula in building around Trae Young. Unfortunately, they haven’t looked like title contenders since drafting Young.
The Magic are hoping they’ll seal a different fate. This team has clear building blocks in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Should acquiring Murray be their next step?
Why The Orlando Magic Do The Deal
Murray looked like a much different player when he was with the San Antonio Spurs. That’s not only true on the defensive end. When Murray was a Spur, he was a poor three-point shooter.
Now, he’s developed into a reliable floor spacer. That’s key for Orlando. This team needs a point guard who can run their offense but also space the floor when Banchero and Wagner have the ball.
Now, imagine Murray finding the right balance in Orlando. If he can bring his offensive juice to Orlando, lessen his role, and retain his defensive form, he could be the missing piece for this team. The Magic could be contenders next season. Should the Hawks put them in that position?
Why The Atlanta Hawks Do The Deal
In theory, Isaac would be the perfect addition alongside Young. Young requires defenders to compensate for his lack of ability on that end. When healthy, Isaac is among the best defenders in the NBA.
With that said, Isaac is seldom healthy. Still, taking a flyer on him makes sense. Ingles is also a veteran who could help the Hawks in 2024-25. Yet, that’s not the main reason they do this deal.
They do it for Orlando’s pick in the next draft. Sure, it’s lightly protected. It’s overwhelmingly likely to convey. After all, the Hawks are sending Murray to Orlando. With any effort, that should keep them outside of the bottom 5.
