Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Knicks interested in trading for defensive-minded Hawks guard

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 12/22/23

The New York Knicks are reportedly interested in trading for Dejounte Murray. The defensive-minded guard joined the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the 2022-23 season. However, his fit with Trae Young hasn't been as seamless as many expected.

New York's interest has been reported by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

"The Knicks are among several teams who’ve expressed exploratory trade interest in Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, league sources told HoopsHype," Scotto reported. "Murray can’t be traded until Jan. 9 after agreeing to a four-year, $120 million contract extension with the Hawks in July. However, given Atlanta’s sluggish start to the season as a fringe Play-In team following Jalen Johnson’s injury, nothing can be considered off the table for the Hawks in addition to usual trade suspects De’Andre Hunter and Clint Capela."

Reporting on Knicks trade targets, Immanuel Quickley’s future, Lauri Markkanen, Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Dejounte Murray, potential Hornets front office changes, the Pacers, two-way conversion candidates, and more on @hoopshype. https://t.co/hxILE5k8BT
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) December 22, 2023

Since joining the Hawks, Murray is averaging 20.3 points, 5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. He's shooting 46.1% from the field and 35.3% from 3-point range. Still, Murray is used to operating as a primary ball-handler. Pairing him with another high-usage guard in Young has caused some issues on the offensive end. New York could run into similar issues if they pair Murray with Jalen Brunson and would need to have a plan in place.

However, Murray is the perfect type of guard for Tom Thibodeau's system. At 6-foot-5, he brings solid size and length. He rotates quickly. He switches with purpose. And he has a reputation for being a fierce point-of-attack defender. Murray could slot in next to Brunson and shore up the Knicks' backcourt defense, making them an even tougher prospect for opposing offenses to deal with in the half-court.

New York has a plethora of tradeable assets at their disposal. They could easily afford to send out some players and picks to swing a deal for Murray and likely still have enough left to make a move for a star player down the line. If the Knicks want to keep progressing under Thibodeau, Murray is the sort of player who can help move the needle. Whether the Hawks are willing to part with him could be a different story.

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