Dejounte Murray Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southeast Notes: Martin, Hunter, Wembanyama, Ross

October 24th, 2022 at 5:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Caleb Martin will serve his one-game suspension on Monday and the Heat forward expressed regret for the incident that led to that one-game ban, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.

“I definitely expected something like that to that degree,” Martin said of the suspension. “I knew they were going to look through something and find out the proper consequences, and I definitely don’t disagree with it.”

Martin was deemed the instigator in an on-court altercation with the Raptors’ Christian Koloko on Saturday.

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It’s questionable whether Hawks owner Tony Ressler would actually be willing to pay a luxury tax unless the Hawks have 60-win potential, which is why De’Andre Hunter‘s extension could become an issue in the near future, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hunter’s extension of four years and up to $95MM puts the Hawks in a bind as early as next summer if Bogdan Bogdanović picks up his $18MM option for 2023/24, Hollinger notes. They’ll also have to shell out big bucks to re-sign Dejounte Murray in 2024, so unless they clear cap space, the Hawks could be limited to using the taxpayer mid-level exception and still ending up paying the tax in ’23/24, then go even deeper into tax territory the following season.
The Hornets shouldn’t go into tank mode to land projected top pick Victor Wembanyama, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer opines. They haven’t enjoyed lottery luck throughout their history, Boone notes. It would also leave their current franchise player, LaMelo Ball, without any postseason experience and would risk alienating season ticket holders.
Magic wing Terrence Ross sees a silver lining in the team’s 0-3 start, as he told Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel. “It’s great, as much as it hurts to lose a game,” he said. “The learning experience is amazing. We’ve played some really good teams. All in all, it’s going to give us confidence and let us know we can compete with anybody.”

Hawks’ Owner Ressler Talks Murray, Hunter, Expectations

October 21st, 2022 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

After acquiring Dejounte Murray from San Antonio in a blockbuster trade that saw them give up three first-round picks (two unprotected) and a pick swap, the Hawks expect to be a playoff team and not just a play-in club in 2022/23, team owner Tony Ressler tells Jeff Schultz of The Athletic.

Ressler conducted separate one-on-one interviews with Schultz and Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution to discuss the Murray trade, his expectations for the team, and a handful of other topics.

The Hawks’ owner stressed in both conversations that the team will have to wait to get to the 20- or 30-game mark to get a real sense of where it stands in the Eastern Conference, but Atlanta got off to a solid start on Wednesday with a 117-107 victory over Houston.

Here are a few of the more notable comments from Ressler’s two interviews, which overlap a little but are worth checking out in full:

On whether there was much internal debate over making the Murray trade:

“Yes, there was a lot of debate. Dejounte is a great player, and we gave up a lot to get him. There wasn’t debate about the quality of Dejounte and what he would bring to the Hawks. And now, our starting five, I think we have a good team. (Wednesday) was only one game, but it did say, ‘Hey, we have four guys who can give you 20 points any night.’ And if that’s an aberration, then we screwed up, but we don’t think it’s an aberration. We’re deeper and better than we were last year.”

On whether the Hawks felt like they were mortgaging their future and opening up a win-now window with the Murray deal:

“I try not to speak that way. That’s not good business talk. Good business talk is, ‘Is this a good trade for us now?’ Not, ‘We have to win now.’ As you point out, that’s a lot for any player, and it’s worthy of evaluation and discussion. After losing in the first round of the playoffs, we saw a lot of things we can do better, and we thought Dejounte would help us do many of those things. And we do still have some picks for the future, so we can still draft young players for the future. We’re not out of that part of the business.”

On why the Hawks felt comfortable signing De’Andre Hunter to a four-year extension worth at least $90MM:

“De’Andre has done everything well. He’s had some bad luck in his first three seasons, health-wise, whatnot, injury wise, but you know what, he’s a kid that can do everything. And he’s a great kid, he’s a great player, wants to get better. And for whatever it’s worth, we believe he’s getting better, continuing to get better and off a pretty high bar. So that’s a kid that you’re thrilled to have here. I actually think he complements the rest of our guys beautifully.”

On the desire to bring an NBA championship to Atlanta:

“Franchises that have won a championship or multiple championships I have grown to respect even more. This is my eighth season, and we still haven’t won a championship. I’m proud of the direction we’re moving in. But to be a great, top-tier NBA franchise, you must win a championship. Some people in our franchise are, ‘We won one in St. Louis.’ I don’t count that. I wasn’t there. I wasn’t born. I don’t give a f–k. Our job is to win a championship or multiple championships, and we’re not there, yet.”

Hawks Notes: Murray, Young, J. Johnson, McMillan

September 25th, 2022 at 10:55am CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks are committed to fixing the defensive issues that held them back last season, and trading for Dejounte Murray is an important part of that effort, writes Aaron Wilson of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta paid a high price for Murray, sending three first-round picks and a future pick swap to the Spurs, but it landed a 26-year-old All-Star guard with a team-friendly contract.

Murray excelled at both ends of the court in San Antonio, averaging 21.1 points per game and leading the NBA in steals with 2.0 per night. He seems like an ideal backcourt partner for Trae Young and said he’s ready to set the defensive tone for his new teammates.

“Defense is about showing effort,” Murray said. “I will bring what I learned both as a leader and vocally as everyone buys in. Everyone has to buy in and push each other and seeing everyone showing up was good. Ready to go compete and earn my team’s trust in training camp.”

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Young was a strong advocate for acquiring Murray and he believes they can succeed together, per Lauren Williams of The Journal-Constitution. In four NBA seasons, Young has never played alongside another guard with Murray’s defensive skills. “It’s hard to point out what he’s great at, but he’s good at everything — like defense, scoring, passing, rebounding,” Young said. “I mean, he’s really good at everything. So just having somebody who’s going to be just as dependent as I am in the backcourt, which is going to be the fun, I can’t wait to get started.”
Jalen Johnson looks forward to carving out a larger role after an offseason procedure to deal with tendinitis in his left knee, Williams adds in a separate story. The 20-year-old forward averaged just 5.5 minutes in 22 games as a rookie, and playing time may be even harder to come by with the offseason additions of Maurice Harkless and Frank Kaminsky. “He’s got to earn that opportunity,” coach Nate McMillan said. “He’s been here since August, and he’s working on doing that. He’s been playing and looking good. I thought last year, his play in the G League, he’s showing maturity and he’s showing some confidence and he’s looking forward to the challenge.”
McMillan visited Young’s Oklahoma City home in June to talk about improving their communication for the upcoming season, according to Paul Newberry of The Associated Press. McMillan wants to see Young become more of a team leader on and off the court. “He’s the face of the franchise and it’s something that he has just inherited,” McMillan said. “He will have to work at it and become better.”

Hawks Rumors: Collins, Hunter, Injuries, Murray

September 23rd, 2022 at 11:11am CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks kicked off the NBA’s Media Day season this morning, with general manager Landry Fields telling reporters that John Collins is “still here for a reason” after a summer of trade speculation, tweets Atlanta reporter Brad Rowland.

Trade talk is nothing new for Collins, who has seemingly been on the block since signing a five-year, $125MM deal last offseason. There were numerous rumors involving Collins leading up to this year’s draft, and he was reportedly part of the package the Hawks offered to Brooklyn in an attempt to acquire Kevin Durant.

Fields said Collins understands the situation and has remained professional (Twitter link). The GM added that Collins has expressed his opinion on the constant trade talks, but he understands what the team is doing (Twitter link).

There’s more from the team’s media session:

Fields said negotiations are continuing with De’Andre Hunter and the team hopes to have an rookie scale extension in place before the October 17 deadline, tweets Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. According to head coach Nate McMillan, Hunter has been able to go through normal workouts this summer, which he couldn’t do last offseason because of a medical procedure (Twitter link).
Fields also provided health updates on a few players, saying Bogdan Bogdanovic is “not going to be 100% for training camp” after having surgery on his right knee in May (Twitter link). The team is focused on getting Bogdanovic back to full health at some point during the season, Fields added. He also said first-round pick AJ Griffin has been “full go” for a few weeks following a foot injury that prevented him from playing in Summer League (Twitter link), and second-year power forward Jalen Johnson will also be ready for camp after a non-surgical procedure on his left knee (Twitter link).
McMillan was in constant contact with Trae Young as the Hawks worked out a trade with the Spurs for Dejounte Murray, Williams tweets. The coach added that Young is looking forward to having a chance to play off the ball this season. Fields admitted having two traditional ball-handlers in the backcourt might be “a little clunky at first,” but he expressed confidence that Young and Murray will figure out their roles (Twitter link).
Fields plans to keep the 15th roster spot open due to luxury tax concerns, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. The Hawks are about $1MM over the tax line, and Fields indicated the team’s performance will determine whether he tries to get back under the threshold. “It’s going to be a day-to-day thing,” he said.

Hawks Notes: Murray, Bogdanovic, Skyhawks

August 25th, 2022 at 9:57pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, a 2022 All-Star with the Spurs, will help shore up Atlanta’s backcourt defense thanks to his abilities to track passes, steal the ball in a variety of ways, and gobble up rebounds at a high rate for his 6’4″ frame, John Schuhmann of NBA.com writes in a detailed analysis of how Murray can help his new team right the ship following a disappointing 2021/22 season.

Starting alongside All-Star point guard Trae Young, Murray is a solid driver with the ball, an above-average passer (he averaged 9.2 APG last season), and an effective mid-range jump shooter, though Schuhmann notes that Murray struggles as a catch-and-shoot three-point shooter.

There’s more out of Atlanta:

Hawks shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic has progressed to on-court work in his native Serbia as he continues to rehab following a May right knee surgery, reports Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. The 6’6″ wing is expected to be able to suit up for the Hawks’ preseason. Bogdanovic appeared in 63 contests for Atlanta in 2021/22, averaging 14.1 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 1.1 SPG, while posting shooting splits of .431/.368/.843.
Three players from the Hawks’ NBAGL affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, are playing on Team USA’s 12-man roster in the current qualifying window for the 2023 World Cup. Skyhawks personnel believes that’s another sign that Atlanta’s G League club can serve as a development hub for young talent, writes Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The Skyhawks players competing with Team USA are DaQuan Jeffries, Langston Galloway and Malik Ellison. “It validates a lot,” Skyhawks GM Tori Miller said. “Our end goal in College Park, it’s all about staff development and career developments and trying to create a pipeline of talent for the Atlanta Hawks… Knowing that we’re bringing in quality guys into the program, from a character standpoint and also from a talent standpoint, because being selected by Team USA, it’s more than talent, right?”
In case you missed it, free agent power forward Chris Silva has signed a contract with the Hawks, and appears poised to test his mettle in the team’s September training camp.

LeBron James Among NBA Stars in Seattle Pro-Am League

August 20th, 2022 at 5:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James highlights a list of NBA players who will participate in a Seattle pro-am league later today, according to NBA.com.

The league is called “The CrawsOver” in honor of founder Jamal Crawford, a Seattle native and longtime NBA player. Announcing James’ participation on Twitter, Crawford promises it will be “a day like we’ve never seen.”

“A lot of kids in this area especially have only seen their favorite players whether it be on TV or on video games,” Crawford said on ESPN’s “NBA Today” (Twitter link). “To see their favorite players right there in person, to reach out and touch them. And they may have interaction with you. If you’re a kid working to get better and to dream about being on that level, that makes your dreams more realistic.”

Crawford added that he asks the area kids which NBA players they would like to see and he tries to get them to attend.

James also tweeted about the event, noting that it’s his first game in Seattle in more than 15 years. He was the featured attraction last month in the pro-am Drew League in Los Angeles, which marked his first public game since the NBA season ended.

Established stars such as Jayson Tatum, Dejounte Murray, Isaiah Thomas and Aaron Gordon are also scheduled to play today, along with first-round picks Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Tari Eason and MarJon Beauchamp. There could be an opportunity for Murray and Banchero to renew their rivalry that began with an incident at Thomas’ pro-am game two weeks ago.

Fans can watch the game live on both the NBA app and NBA.com. It’s scheduled to tip off at 8:30 PM Eastern Time.

Southeast Notes: Mitchell, Beal, Kuzma, Porzingis, Adebayo, Hawks

August 20th, 2022 at 8:40am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Wizards should be bold and acquire a star player like Donovan Mitchell to pair up with Bradley Beal, who’s now locked into a long-term contract, Josh Robbins of The Athletic opines. That pairing would put up big offensive numbers, but Washington would have to make other moves to cover for the backcourt’s defensive shortcomings. The front office would have to acquire defensive stalwarts at other spots to mask those defensive issues, Robbins adds.

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The Wizards already have a “big three” in terms of offensive firepower with Beal, Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. As Hughes writes, the trio could compare to the mid-2000s Washington teams built around Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison, which included an elite scoring guard plus two versatile, offense-driven frontcourt players.
Finding a bigger offensive role for Bam Adebayo is more complicated than many Heat fans might think, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes in his latest mailbag. If Tyler Herro is moved to the starting lineup, there would be fewer shots for Adebayo with Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry already on the floor. For Adebayo to be effective, he may also need a floor spacer such as Max Strus or Duncan Robinson.
Trae Young believes outsiders are underestimating the impact of the Hawks’ acquisition of Dejounte Murray, as he told Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill on Goodwill’s podcast (Twitter link). “I don’t think people understand how dynamic of a backcourt (we) can be,” Young said. “Both can score 20-plus, both can get nine-plus assists a game. You can’t really double one or the other. If you do, you really pick your poison.”

Southeast Notes: Poole, Murray, Banchero, Bogdanovic, Echenique

August 13th, 2022 at 8:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Magic will be ready with an offer sheet if Warriors guard Jordan Poole reaches free agency next summer, an unidentified Eastern Conference executive tells Sean Deveney of Heavy. Although Poole is an important contributor for Golden State, luxury tax considerations put his future with the organization in doubt. If he doesn’t reach an agreement on a rookie scale extension before the start of the upcoming season, he’ll be a restricted free agent in 2023.

“I’d watch out for the Magic to be ready to make an offer if he’s restricted, knowing there’s a good chance Golden State is not going to match,” the executive said.

The 23-year-old Poole is coming off his best season, averaging career highs with 18.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game and making 51 starts for a team that won the NBA title. He would provide some much-needed perimeter scoring for a young Orlando team that solidified its frontcourt with Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero in the last two drafts. The Magic could have close to $60MM in cap room and may be in range to add two max free agents.

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Former NBA player Jamal Crawford is downplaying a dispute between new Hawks guard Dejounte Murray and Banchero in a pro-am game last week, tweets Landon Buford. “There’s no issues; they’re brothers, competitive basketball court stuff,” Crawford said. “I’ve had spats like that with my brothers. There’s nothing to read into.”
Hawks shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic has resumed training after knee surgery in May and recently posted Instagram photos of his workout with tennis star Novak Djokovic in Serbia. Bogdanovic was able to participate in Atlanta’s first-round playoff series against Miami, but underwent the operation shortly after the Hawks were eliminated.
Jaime Echenique received a huge welcome when he returned to Colombia last month after becoming the first player from his homeland to appear in an NBA game, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Echenique played just one game for the Wizards in December and spent most of the season with the team’s Capital City G League affiliate. He recognizes the importance of his accomplishment, but is focused on expanding his NBA opportunities. “He said you have to take this as big as it is,” Echenique said in relaying a conversation with a friend. “Out of the 75 years of the NBA, out of 50 million Colombians, you are the first one. I was like ‘Yeah, that’s a big deal.’ Whether it was a 10-day [contract] or three minutes or whatever people want to call it, I did it.”

Eastern Notes: Lowry, Murray, Banchero, Grant, Turner

August 8th, 2022 at 6:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kyle Lowry‘s name has surfaced in trade rumors, mainly due to the Heat’s interest in Kevin Durant. In a recent podcast with longtime NBA All-Star Vince Carter, Lowry says he doesn’t feel the need to address trade talk (hat tip to Anthony Chiang and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald).

“I hear it. I don’t respond to it,” Lowry said. “I have my social media, but I’m not even on my social media right now, to be honest with you. I only did this interview because you’re my man.”

Lowry’s salary could prove valuable if Miami is successful in dealing for Durant or another high-priced star such as Donovan Mitchell. Lowry, who is entering the second year of a three-year, $85MM contract, has not considered retirement, saying he’ll play “until I can’t.”

“This is how I think personally. When you tell your brain something, it starts to do it,” he said. “So for me, I’ll say: ‘I’m going until I can’t.’ Why not? Until I don’t want to wake up at 5 or 6 in the morning to go work out.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

New Hawks guard Dejounte Murray and the draft’s top pick, the Magic’s Paolo Banchero, exchanged words on and off the court after taking the court at Isaiah Thomas‘ annual summer pro-am, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports relays. Murray faked out Banchero before doing a self alley-oop, then took to social media to give the rookie more grief. Banchero responded by saying that Murray had unfollowed him, while adding some choices words of his own.
When the Pistons signed Jerami Grant to a three-year contract two years ago as a free agent, many observers were baffled as to why the rebuilding team took that route. In hindsight, it worked out quite well for Detroit, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. Grant’s professionalism and work ethic rubbed off on the Pistons’ young players and the subsequent trade with Portland this summer helped GM Troy Weaver make a draft-night deal for lottery pick Jalen Duren.
Despite being the subject of trade rumors for months, Pacers center Myles Turner loves Indiana and is excited to play with Tyrese Haliburton, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. Haliburton is the first true pass-first point guard Turner has played with, Scotto notes. Turner is entering his walk year and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Southeast Notes: Murray, Banchero, Wagners, Wizards

July 26th, 2022 at 12:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

Dejounte Murray tells Michael Scotto of HoopsHype there’s no reason to be concerned about how he’ll fit alongside new backcourt partner Trae Young. The Hawks gave up a sizeable package of draft picks to acquire Murray from the Spurs, teaming up two guards who have been primary ball-handlers throughout their careers. Murray says he and Young are both “hoopers” and they’ll find a way to make it work.

“He wanted me as bad as I wanted to go over there to help,” Murray said of Young. “They already have a culture over there that they built. There’s a brotherhood. For me, it won’t be too hard to fit in. I work hard, and I can adapt to any environment I’m put in with my style of play and willingness to learn and work. It’s going to be a smooth transition. I think we’ll figure it out. We’re both smart, and we love the game. When you add those things together, you figure out ways to win. The main goal is to win, and that’s what we both want.”

In the lengthy interview, Murray also discusses his affection for San Antonio, the mentality it took to recover from a torn ACL and his expectations for Atlanta heading into the upcoming season.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Paolo Banchero may be a big part of the foundation in Orlando after being taken with the No. 1 pick, but the Magic don’t expect him to assume a leadership role right away, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. Coach Jamahl Mosley hopes to emulate the Warriors, who give every player a role in building the culture. “You look at how Draymond [Green] is so vocal, but everybody knows how he ties and glues that team together,” Mosley said. “Steph [Curry] doesn’t have to say much, but when he does, it speaks volumes. We want to build our guys in that regard where there’s such a chemistry, and then as guys rise and they get their voice and they get that feel of leadership, they start to stand up. “
The Magic‘s Franz Wagner and Moritz Wagner are on Germany’s roster for FIBA EuroBasket 2022, which will take place in September, according to Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. The Wagner brothers may also participate in World Cup qualifying games in late August.
Reports that the Wizards are among the teams interested in trading for Donovan Mitchell show that Washington will be aggressive about building a contender now that Bradley Beal has a long-term contract, observes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Robbins examines Mitchell’s potential fit in Washington and what it might cost to get him.