With the Golden State Warriors searching for all manner of avenues to save their fledgling season, the latest potential trade target comes in the form of Atlanta Hawks’ guard Dejounte Murray.
According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Murray is a name to monitor for the Warriors with the team stuck down at 12th in the Western Conference with a 17-20 record.
Slater’s report linking Murray to Golden State was a curious one for many fans, with many believing that adding another guard is the last thing the franchise needs. With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Brandin Podziemski and Chris Paul, the Warriors already have a host of backcourt options.
One would assume that any Murray trade is likely to include one of that quartet, almost assuredly Paul who’s on a $30.8 million deal that can become an expiring contract. Atlanta would have little interest in pairing Paul with Trae Young, but perhaps the thought of opening up future financial flexibility is why they’d consider that move — the Warriors would also need throw in a young player and/or future draft assets, while some salary matching would also need to occur.
It seems a formality that Murray will be moved at some point before the February 8 trade deadline. Along with Toronto Raptors’ forward Pascal Siakam and Chicago Bulls’ guard Zach Lavine, both of whom have also been linked to the Warriors, Murray is sure to be one of the biggest names in trade speculation.
But that doesn’t mean Golden State should necessarily be interested in adding the 2022 All-Star. Let’s evaluate Murray’s fit in the Bay, starting with the reasons why the Warriors would be considering such a move.