The Atlanta Hawks traded two unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027), a protected first-round pick (2023), and a pick swap (2026) to the Spurs in 2022 for Dejounte Murray, all for him to spend only two seasons with the team before they moved on. San Antonio clearly won that trade, but there is a way for Atlanta to make it look a little better on its end, and that's by avoiding the play-in entirely.
As Alex Speers pointed out on Saturday's episode of Slam N Jam on The Athletic NBA Daily podcast, if the Hawks lose in the play-in, it'd greatly benefit the Spurs:
"Atlanta's currently safe. They're in fifth, but they're only one game out of the play-in. If they lost in the play-in, San Antonio would be getting a lottery pick."
San Antonio celebrated when Atlanta traded Trae Young before the deadline, thinking the Hawks would drop in the standings and the Spurs would receive a higher pick. Little did they know that it'd actually have the opposite effect.
Atlanta has been one of the hottest teams in the league in recent weeks. Advancing to the first round, whether by finishing in the top six or by making it past the play-in (both of which are very real possibilities), is what every Hawks fan should be rooting for, specifically the former.
Hawks can make Dejounte Murray trade look a little better
Atlanta lucked out last summer, when New Orleans sent it an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to move up in the draft. The Hawks will receive the more favorable selection between the Pelicans and the Bucks, so they'll receive a lottery pick. It's just a matter of where it ends up.
They can't go back and undo the Murray trade, but after the Spurs selected Carter Bryant last year with a pick from the Hawks, Atlanta doesn't want to see another top young player go to San Antonio at its expense.
The Spurs get crazy lucky when it comes to the draft lottery. See Victor Wembanyama in 2023, Stephon Castle in 2024, and Dylan Harper in 2025. Knowing them, they'd somehow end up with another top-four pick in 2026.
Atlanta needs to fight to maintain its position to avoid the above scenario, and, unfortunately, its remaining strength of schedule isn't on its side. The Hawks have the fifth toughest remaining slate in the league, per Tankathon, and they're just a half-game above the No. 7 Sixers, who are finally healthy again (for now, at least).
They've surprised a lot of people over the past few months (dating back to before the Young trade), and could continue to do so over the last 13 days of the regular season. Regardless of how the Hawks' season ends and where the pick to the Spurs falls, though, at least Atlanta still has what should be a top pick to look forward to.