Executives from the Lakers and Hawks have reportedly been in contact for some time about a possible Dejounte Murray trade. As these talks heat up, the possibility of a larger trade framework is becoming more and more of a media topic.
The Hawks are reportedly actively shopping Murray, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. If the Hawks insist on signing Lakers guard Austin Reaves, an NBA executive will reportedly offer a bigger contract.
Recently, ESPN’s Zach Lowe discussed insights from an NBA executive during his appearance on “NBA Today.” The NBA executive described a convoluted deal in which the Lakers would be able to acquire both Bogdan Bogdanovich and Dejounte Murray, thereby solving their acute shortage of shooting.
But as ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out, there are obstacles in the way of carrying out such a complex deal, particularly considering the Lakers’ financial limitations—they are over the tax and almost at the hard cap.
The number of players in a deal increases its complexity, which complicates negotiations. Austin Reaves appears to be a must-have for the Hawks, but the Lakers will probably be hesitant to part with him.
The number of players in a deal increases its complexity, which complicates negotiations. Austin Reaves appears to be a must-have for the Hawks, but the Lakers will probably be hesitant to part with him.
According to Wojnarowski, the Hawks want to get a good return on Murray. The Lakers are limited to one first-round pick (2029 or 2030) in any in-season trade due to their available draft capital.
In the interim, LA might look into increasing the trade for Dejounte Murray at a lower cost. The Hawks are eager to cut other large contracts, possibly including Clint Capela or De’Andre Hunter in a trade for Murray, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hollinger reported that talks regarding Murray’s trade value are still going on.
