5. Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks' win in the NBA Draft Lottery raises plenty of intrigue over what they might do. It was already feeling like an offseason of change for the Hawks. The top pick gives them the opportunity to try to consolidate and stick with their two All-Star-level guards and trade the top pick or give them a leg up to begin a bigger rebuild.
After two years of going through the Play-In Tournament after acquiring Dejounte Murray, it certainly feels like the Hawks are set to break apart their guard duo. The question is whether the team would trade Trae Young or Dejounte Murray. . . or both.
Murray was one of the hot names to move at the trade deadline. The Magic were rumored to be one of the teams in pursuit of him then.
Not a lot has changed in that regard. The pieces the Magic might move are still virtually the same, although now the top pick in the Draft is thrown into the mix with the Hawks likely looking at power forward Alex Sarr or wing Zaccharie Ricascher with the top pick (maybe Nikola Topic or others cut in too, it is a crowded room at the top of the Draft).
The Magic though need a point guard. That became apparent throughout the Playoffs. They needed someone who could set the table and attack off the dribble to ease the playmaking responsibilities on Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner and make their lives easier.
Young averaged 25.7 points per game and 10.8 assists per game while shooting 37.3 percent shooting from three. He had a 30.5 percent usage rate and has been a 30-plus-percent usage rate player for several years now.
The question in acquiring him would be whether he would be able to play off Banchero or would demand the ball in this significant way. Would bringing him in take the ball too much out of Banchero's hands and slow down his development or detour the areas the Magic hope to grow his game?
Murray presents some of the same questions but has shown he can play off the ball a bit more. He averaged 22.5 points per game and 6.4 assists per game while shooting 36.3 percent from three. He would certainly be a bigger threat from three than anything the Magic have.
There is at least a fit there.
But creating a deal is the hard part, even with the ample cap room the Magic have. It is unclear what the Hawks' goals are this year. What are they looking for in a trade?
Are they going to reset everything and plan to build around the top pick and Jalen Johnson? Are they going to try to retool around Trae Young? Will they insist on attaching Clint Capela and his expiring $22.3 million? Are they going to be looking to cut cap and get under the tax line before the season?
Those are all questions better for the Hawks to ask.
The Magic could help them with that with both Cole Anthony ($12.9 million in 2025) and Wendell Carter ($12 million in 2025) in a deal for Dejounte Murray. But considering the Atlanta Hawks traded four first-round picks for Murray, they will want to recoup some of that cost (even if it ends up being the 2025 Denver Nuggets pick or that conditional pick the Orlando Magic acquired last year).
Going for a bigger star like Murray is not an all-in move. It will not cost the Magic a ton of future assets. But it will cost the team draft capital at least. Really it comes down to what Atlanta wants to do this offseason.