Now that the newest member of the Atlanta Hawks has taken to the court with Trae Young and John Collins in the Crawsover, there is a lot to get excited about. Young appears to be loving the connection that he has with Dejounte Murray which is only going to strengthen the Hawks.
If the game was anything to go by, these Hawks are going to be an incredibly fun one to watch. However, like Summer League play, Pro-Am play is not enough to judge the way a team is going to play. Playing against professionals is a totally different ball game.
Still, there seems to be a tremendous connection between the three players who hit the court together. This looks good for the upcoming season with the Hawks expected to head back up to the top of the Eastern Conference standings thanks to the offseason acquisitions.
So what role will Dejounte Murray have with the Atlanta Hawks?
Well, given how good Murray is on both ends of the floor, his role is going to be crucial for the success of the Hawks this season. Defensively, Murray is going to be the prime wing defender, taking the best player, it does not matter if they are a guard or a wing, Murray will make life difficult for them.
He is going to create offense for himself and others from his defense and this is going to be a crucial aspect of the Hawks moving back up the standings. On top of that, Murray is going to be the key member of the starting unit tasked with improving the Hawks’ 3-point defense.
On the offensive end of the floor, Murray is going to alternate between being the primary and secondary ball-handler with the starting unit. His ability to create for others as well as himself will allow him to be a tremendous second option for the Hawks, especially when Young is being double-teamed.
On top of that, Murray is going to handle the ball-handling duties in the non-Trae Young minutes for the Hawks. With Murray on the floor, the Hawks are going to have a truly gifted playmaker on the floor, giving the opposition no respite on the defensive end.