Hawks expected to 'begin escalating' trade talks around former All-Star

Trade talks around the Atlanta Hawks (14-21) could be about to kick into high gear

“The Hawks are going to begin escalating conversations even more,” said Shams Charania on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back on January 9. “We're still waiting to see exactly how his market shakes out. But one team that has a level of exploratory interest, I'm told, is his former team the San Antonio Spurs.”

Atlanta acquired Murray from San Antonio before last season following an All-Star campaign, sending four first-round picks to the Spurs.

His first season resulted in some historic numbers alongside Trae Young. But the team finished 41-41 last season, a campaign which Murray admitted was challenging. And this season, they are 14-21 and have logged just two wins in their last eight games entering play on January 10.

This comes ahead of new insight from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

“I think the Hawks are open to ALMOST anything at the trade deadline, but there’s no question that they’ve gone as far as they’ll probably go on Dejounte Murray’s pairing with Trae Young in the backcourt,” Wojnarowski said in a post on Threads on January 10. “They’re talking Murray deals – and others – throughout the league.”

The “others” could be Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clint Capela, and De’Andre Hunter, all of whom have been mentioned in different trade rumors over the last several months.

Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported the Hawks want to build around Young and Jalen Johnson. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports noted the Hawks could even entertain taking a step back to pair another high lottery pick with the duo.

Chris Haynes warned that Young wants to win now on “thisleague UNCUT” on January 9.

Hawks’ trade target seeking max contract with new team

While the Murray trade talk could be heating up, the Hawks have apparently stepped back somewhat from their pursuit of Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam.

They are no longer considered a top potential landing spot and, potentially for good reason.

“It remains possible that the Raptors and Siakam will agree on an extension, especially if the trade market is underwhelming enough that Toronto’s president, Masai Ujiri, decides to hold onto him past the deadline,” Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote on January 10.”Siakam is seeking a full-term, max-salary deal no matter where he ultimately lands.”

The money alone might not be the issue. But Siakam is rumored to have suggested he didn’t view the Sacramento Kings as a long-term fit.

It is unclear if he feels the same way about the Hawks. But the threat that he would explore free agency if traded has been a long-standing obstacle for any interested team. Still, acquiring him now would allow the Hawks to give him more money than anyone else next offseason.

As the Hawks begin a five-game homestand, it’s fair to wonder how much success they would need to have for these conversations to trend in a different direction.

One in which the Hawks are looking to add talent to this roster instead of reshuffling again.