As the trade rumors continue to swirl around the Atlanta Hawks, the trade deadline (February 8) is only getting closer. The Hawks have been heavily linked to the Los Angeles Lakers in a potential Dejounte Murray trade.
But he is not the only player linked to other teams in trade rumors, with the Hawks viewing just Trae Young and Jalen Johnson and maybe Onyeka Okongwu and Kobe Bufkin as untouchable.
That still leaves 11 other players who could be dealt away by the deadline.
The backend of the Hawks’ rotation when healthy – Bruno Fernando, Garrison Mathews, Wesley Matthews, and Patty Mills – are less likely to have much standalone value at the deadline, though each could probably fetch a stray second-round pick or two.
Prospects like Bufkin and Mo Gueye’s value could fluctuate by the suitor -- though the former has drawn interest -- leaving six players who could return solid value alone.
With reports the Hawks are playing hardball with the Lakers, that is a good place to start.
3-Team trade could land Hawks’ Dejounte Murray with Lakers
This feels like a highly likely potential outcome of the continued back-and-forth between the Hawks and Lakers. Atlanta has also been in contact with the Brooklyn Nets about veteran combo guard Spencer Dinwiddie, whose contract is up after the season.
The Athletic’s Jovan Buha reports that the Lakers are growing higher on D’Angelo Russell following his recent hot stretch.
Similarly, the Hawks are not under any internal deadline to trade Murray during the season.
He won’t start his four-year, $114 million contract until next season. Ultimately, the Hawks get the most recent rumored trade package from the Lakers with the added benefit of a target they wanted and the financial freedom they seek this coming offseason.
The Nets’ willingness to reunite with Russell is unclear. But the guard was once a part of a significant turnaround for the franchise.
There are still other players on the Hawks who could soon be on the move.