The Atlanta Hawks may be watching one of their last big offseason swing targets slip out of reach.
For weeks, there’s been hope around the idea that Atlanta could make a serious run at Trey Murphy III, one of the top names still sitting on the board. But that path is looking thinner by the day. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported that the current belief is the New Orleans Pelicans “want to keep Trey Murphy,” instead of moving him in a major deal.
That matters because Murphy III, 26, would fit cleanly into Atlanta’s core. He’s the kind of addition that can change the shape of a roster. The problem is that the price tag is steep, and New Orleans doesn’t seem eager to commit to a direction that would make a deal easier to pull off.
Even if the Pelicans were open to talking, Atlanta wouldn’t have much incentive to expect a bargain. The two teams have already done business twice, and both times the Hawks came out ahead in the short and long term. Over the last two calendar years, Atlanta has landed Dyson Daniels, Kingston Flemings, Asa Newell and another future first-round pick from the same franchise.
That history makes any potential Murphy III negotiation feel even more lopsided. A player of his caliber would normally cost multiple first-round picks plus a young player, or maybe two. And with President of Basketball Operations Onsi Saleh clearly focused on stacking assets for future flexibility and competitiveness, New Orleans would be fighting an uphill battle to get the kind of return it would want from Atlanta.
So if the Pelicans really are leaning toward keeping Murphy III, the Hawks will probably step away from the idea altogether, if they were ever truly in on it to begin with.
That doesn’t mean Atlanta is suddenly changing its approach. The team remains committed to the path it’s on, even if a player like Murphy III wouldn’t derail that direction.
But the frustration around the organization is real. After getting a taste of exciting postseason basketball last season, plenty of fans don’t want to see the Hawks slide back into irrelevance because they didn’t push hard enough.
For now, Atlanta still has options. The team could make one last run at Murphy III, or it could finalize its roster and head into the season as constructed. Either way, the Hawks are in a strong leverage position.
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Hawks Suddenly Hold Real Leverage In Growing Jonathan Kuminga Trade Talks
The Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes have started to get more interesting for Atlanta, even if the Hawks are not yet the obvious landing spot. The Lakers are reportedly exploring a sign-and-trade for the Warriors forward, with Dalton Knecht mentioned as part of the conversation, and Atlanta could wind up involved if the deal turns into a broader three-team framework. For a Hawks front office that has been willing to stay active around the margins, that at least creates the possibility of turning a star-chasing negotiation into something that benefits their own roster-building plans.
Nothing is close to being finalized, and the whole situation still sits in the speculative stage, but the Hawks suddenly have a seat near the center of the table. Lakers executive Rob Pelinka has already been in contact with Kumingas agent, and Los Angeles has enough contracts and draft capital to keep working different angles. If Atlanta is going to facilitate anything, it will need to make sense on its own terms, which is where the real leverage comes in. [Read more 🡒]
Hawks Offseason Winners And Losers Just Sparked A Bigger Debate
Atlantas offseason has already given Onsi Saleh a pretty clear footprint, with the Hawks keeping CJ McCollum, Jock Landale and Mouhamed Gueye in place while also bringing in Aaron Wiggins and Devin Carter and adding Kingston Flemings, Zuby Ejiofor and Henri Veesaar in the draft. It is the kind of roster churn that invites instant grading, especially in a market that is always trying to figure out whether the front office is building for now, for later, or a little of both.
Kris Risacher is still on the roster despite the trade chatter that swirled around him, and the new mix around him could end up mattering more than any single move. The bigger question now is whether Atlanta has actually created the kind of environment that helps him settle in and grow, or whether the Hawks are still one unresolved roster decision away from changing the whole conversation again. [Read more 🡒]