The Hawks have spent much of their offseason building around the edges, but that hasn’t stopped them from poking around one of the biggest names still floating on the trade market: Trey Murphy III.
According to Hoopshype insider Michael Scotto, Atlanta is among the teams with interest in the Pelicans forward, joining the Celtics, Pistons, Warriors and Clippers. Scotto also noted that Atlanta has been tracking Murphy and other available players for a while, with the Hawks armed with future first-round picks and tradeable contracts if they decide to make a real push.
That interest isn’t new. Leading into last Tuesday’s draft, there were rumblings that New Orleans wanted to move into the lottery and had talks with Atlanta about a Murphy deal that would have included the No. 8 overall pick. The Hawks ultimately used that selection on Kingston Flemings.
Murphy has become one of the league’s most sought-after young wings, and it’s not hard to see why. In his fifth season with New Orleans, he put up 21.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 3.8 APG while shooting 47% from the field and 38% from three on 8.6 attempts per game. At 6'8 210 LBS, he brings size, scoring, and solid defense, and he’s improved every year he’s been in the league.
The price, though, has been steep. The Pelicans have held firm so far, and despite speculation that they might pivot toward Murphy after dealing Jaylen Brown to the 76ers, nothing has come together yet.
For Atlanta, the appeal is obvious. Murphy would add another versatile wing and more shooting.
But he also wouldn’t solve the Hawks’ two biggest offseason issues, which are in the backcourt and at center. And with the kind of trade package New Orleans would likely want, Atlanta would have to decide whether Murphy is worth the cost of multiple valuable draft picks.
There’s also a roster wrinkle to keep in mind. The Hawks currently have 16 players on standard contracts, so at some point they’ll need to trim things down. That leaves room for consolidation, and maybe for a bigger swing if Saleh decides the right move is still out there.
President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh has shown he’ll keep looking for ways to improve, and the Hawks have already made several moves this offseason, bringing back CJ McCollum and Jock Landale, guaranteeing Buddy Hield’s contract, drafting three rookies, and trading for Aaron Wiggins and Devin Carter.
In a crowded Eastern Conference, Atlanta is trying to stay in the mix. Whether that leads to a serious pursuit of Murphy remains to be seen, but the Hawks are clearly at least keeping the door open.
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