-
Andrew Lopez, ESPNJun 28, 2024, 06: 50 PM ET
The Recent Orleans Pelicans are adding Dejounte Murray to their backcourt by strategy of a exchange with the Atlanta Hawks, sources knowledgeable ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.
The Pelicans are sending two first-spherical picks — a 2025 replace by strategy of the Los Angeles Lakers and a 2027 replace (least favorable from both the Milwaukee Bucks or Recent Orleans’ possess) — to the Hawks for the 27-twelve months-frail Murray, sources stated. Forwards Larry Nance Jr. and E.J. Liddell and guard Dyson Daniels are additionally going from Recent Orleans to Atlanta in the deal.
Murray averaged a occupation-high 22.5 functions in 2023-24 for the Hawks while additionally making a occupation-most effective 201 3-pointers. He averaged 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds while sharing the backcourt with fellow giant identify Trae Younger.
In 2022, Atlanta sent three first-spherical picks to the San Antonio Spurs for Murray with hopes of constructing its backcourt of the prolonged crawl. However, it didn’t pan out the type the crew hoped; the Hawks by no technique made it previous the predominant spherical of the playoffs with the 2.
In 2021-22, because the lead guard in San Antonio, Murray averaged 21.1 functions, 9.2 assists, 8.3 rebounds and a league-leading 2.0 steals per game.
Since inspiring to Atlanta, Murray has seen his 3-level shot accumulate in a giant method.
In five complete seasons with San Antonio — Murray missed the 2018-19 campaign with a torn ACL — he made 218 3-pointers while capturing 33.0% from distance. He hit 334 in his two seasons with Atlanta, topping out at 36.3% in 2023-24.
Murray’s four-twelve months, $114 million extension, signed final offseason with Atlanta, has no longer kicked in. He is determined to present $25.3 million next season and might perhaps well also contain a player option for $31.3 million in 2027-28.
The Pelicans, who earlier Friday picked up the crew alternatives on Jose Alvarado and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, are actually onerous-capped at the predominant apron. They contain got 12 players beneath contract and are sitting $2.6 million below the tax and $8.5 below the predominant apron, in accordance to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Recent Orleans was as soon as 0-22 when entering the fourth quarter while trailing final season and noticed an great fall-off in manufacturing in grab games — outlined because the rating being within five functions with beneath five minutes left in fourth quarter or beyond traditional time — with an offensive rating (101.5) that ranked 26th in such moments. The Pelicans’ minus-12.1 come by rating in grab games ranked 24th in the league.
Murray, though, must relieve there.
He hit 40 grab topic targets final season, fifth most in the NBA. He additionally hit three bolt-ahead images in the closing five seconds of fourth quarter/beyond traditional time, tied with Stephen Curry for essentially the most in the league.
Murray and Nikola Jokic had been the finest players to file 1,500 functions, 500 assists and 100 steals final season. Murray additionally joins Luka Doncic because the finest guards to practical 20 functions, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in every of the previous three seasons (minimum 40 games in every).
An All-Defensive Crew honoree in 2018, Murray is the finest player with at the least 100 steals in every of the previous five seasons.
Daniels was as soon as the No. 8 capture in the 2022 NBA draft and has proven promise on the defensive discontinue, averaging 1.4 steals this previous season in ultimate 22.3 minutes per game. A 6-foot-8 guard, he averaged 5.8 functions, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 2023-24.
Nance arrived in Recent Orleans as a section of the CJ McCollum deal at the 2022 exchange deadline and battled accidents for the length of his time there. He averaged 5.7 functions and 5.0 rebounds a season in the past because the Pelicans’ backup 5 who normally closed games.
Liddell was as soon as a giant identify at Ohio Voice but tore knee ligaments all over a summer season league game in 2022 and missed the ensuing season after surgical draw. He appeared in eight games this previous season for Recent Orleans.
The deal ends the Murray-Younger partnership after ultimate two seasons. The Hawks quiet owe unprotected 2025 and 2027 picks, apart from as an unprotected 2026 swap, to the Spurs.
Knowledge from ESPN Stats & Knowledge was as soon as aged in this document.
