3 Most underpaid players on Atlanta Hawks roster this season
By Ben Grunert
The Atlanta Hawks boast one of the most talented rosters in the league. Their offense ranked seventh in the NBA last season, and they scored the third-most points per game behind the Sacramento Kings and the Golden State Warriors.
Last season, the Hawks fell 4-2 to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. They lost John Collins over the summer and acquired Patty Mills and Wesley Matthews, along with No. 15 pick Kobe Bufkin from the draft.
While franchise point guard Trae Young has a predictably humongous contract, Atlanta has locked down some phenomenal deals in recent years. From star-level talents to integral role players, some Hawks players make less than they deserve and help their team save money in doing so.
Here are the 3 most underpaid players on the Atlanta Hawks
1) Dejounte Murray
Dejounte Murray put together a phenomenal first season with the Hawks. Atlanta’s clear-cut second option is only the fifth-highest-paid player on the team, based on salary for this upcoming season. Murray will make around $18 million during the 2023-24 campaign, and his new contract will kick in after that for $120 million over four years.
Murray became a first-time All-Star during his final season with the San Antonio Spurs, and he certainly played like one last season. Playing next to Young, Murray’s assist count took an understandable hit, but he improved all three of his major shooting percentages while averaging only 0.6 fewer points.
Murray posted 20.5 points per game while shooting a career-best 46.4% from the field and a career-best 83.2% from the free throw line. The two-way combo guard had never even shot 80% from the charity stripe in five previous seasons.
DJ also set career highs in 3-pointers made and 3-pointers attempted. He nailed 1.8 treys per game on 5.2 nightly attempts.
Since missing the 2018-19 season with a torn ligament, Murray had played in no more than 68 games for a season. The 27-year-old bucked the trend by playing and starting in 74 contests.
Given some of the contracts teams have handed out in the current NBA market, Murray’s deal with Atlanta is an absolute steal. The Hawks have Murray on the books through the 2027-28 season, and the star guard is just now entering his prime.