The Trey Murphy conversation around the Hawks has been hanging out there for months, but the latest numbers on his defense make the whole thing look a lot less tempting.
Atlanta was first tied to Murphy in a deal that would have sent the 8th pick, formerly owned by New Orleans, to the Pelicans. When that path disappeared, the chatter shifted to future draft capital, but the connection never really went away.
Murphy’s reputation as a top-tier 3-and-D wing has kept him in the rumor mill. Last season, though, his defense took a major hit.
Among NBA players who defended at least 400 2-point attempts, Murphy finished fourth-worst in the league, with opponents shooting 60.3% against him as the primary defender from inside the arc. That kind of number raises obvious questions, even if New Orleans’ lack of rim protection has made life harder for everyone on that roster. Yves Missi is described as a passable deterrent, while Derik Queen is said to be downright disastrous in his own right.
But the issue can’t be explained away entirely by team context, because other Pelicans don’t show up on that list. That leaves two possibilities: Murphy may be putting more energy into his offense at the expense of his defense, or his long injury history may be cutting into his lateral quickness. Both ideas fit a familiar NBA pattern, especially for wings whose game depends so much on mobility.
The offensive side of Murphy’s profile is still real. His shooting is described as an outlier skill, with near-40% accuracy from deep and plenty of those looks coming well behind the arc.
Even so, that alone does not seem enough to support the price New Orleans has been floating. The Pelicans have reportedly wanted multiple first-round picks, and there was even a potential Flemings trade on draft night in the mix.
That’s why the Hawks’ decision to wait may have been the smart play. If Murphy’s defense really has slipped this much, then the market may not be willing to pay the premium New Orleans is asking. And if that price doesn’t come down, staying out of the deal looks like the safer move.
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Kingston Flemings Gives Hawks Fans A Reason To Dream Bigger
Kingston Flemings has already given Hawks fans a reason to look past the usual rookie patience plan. The freshman point guard arrived with consensus All-American honors from his lone college season, and Atlanta spent the No. 8 pick on a player whose resume fits a well-worn NBA pattern: young lead guards who were good enough early to stand out in college often bring skills that translate quickly once they reach the pros.
For a franchise that has been searching for more certainty at the position, that matters. Flemings enters with the kind of background that suggests he should not need a long runway to make an impression, and the history of freshman point guards who have turned that first wave of success into impactful NBA careers only adds to the optimism around him. The Hawks are banking on that track record, even if the real answer will come on the court. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Caught In A Jonathan Kuminga Trade Standoff That Wont Budge
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The problem is that the deal has not found a landing spot, and the obstacles are the sort that stop conversations cold. Other teams have not been eager to absorb Vanderbilts contract, and Atlanta is among the clubs dealing with its own roster-limit squeeze, which only makes the mechanics harder to solve. Until someone figures out how to clear the space, the standoff hangs there, unresolved and very much still a front-office headache. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Offseason Changes Face An Early Test Atlanta Fans Will Feel
The Hawks do not have much time to settle into the new season before a stiff early measuring stick arrives, and Atlanta will already have plenty to sort through when it sees Houston in back-to-back games. The offseason reshaping in Atlanta was made with matchups like this in mind, the kind that can show whether the roster changes have actually tightened up the team enough to hang with one of the Wests tougher opponents.
There is real incentive here beyond a good early result. Atlanta wants to put last seasons struggles in the rearview and prove the new-look group can handle a demanding schedule without stumbling out of the gate, especially against a team that exposed them in both meetings a year ago. If the Hawks can turn these games into something more competitive, it would say plenty about where this group stands before the calendar gets crowded. [Read more 🡒]