The Los Angeles Lakers are not alone in their pursuit of Dejounte Murray, as another team has allegedly made a formal offer.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been heavily linked to Dejounte Murray since the start of the season, with speculations fading as we approach February 5. The trade deadline is in three days, and the Lakers will feel pressure to make a move following their 26-25 record.
According to Jake Fischer, who spoke on ‘The Saturday Stein Line with Marc Stein’, only two teams have made formal bids for Murray. The Utah Jazz have joined the Lakers in this trading story.
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“The only teams I’ve really heard actual offers about have been from the Lakers and Utah,”
Fischer expounded on the difficulty of the Lakers completing a Murray deal this winter, stating that the Hawks still want a larger package.
“And the Lakers just don’t have a clear apparent package that will get the Hawks the picks they want, as well as the player they want—a guy who does not have a horrible long-term contract. And the Lakers will have two more first-round selections to work with when the calendar turns to the next season.
D’Angelo Russell will have an expiring contract in the summer, and the Lakers may also add their 2031 first-round selection when the season finishes. But what would the Jazz provide to compete with the Lakers?
Collin Sexton and D’Angelo Russell are not far away in terms of value, but the Jazz have an abundance of draft selections to distribute. They may easily utilize their selections to encourage the Hawks to accept their offer, but it will be fascinating to see how many they are able to offer.
Will Dejounte Murray Be Dealt In The Next Three Days?
The Atlanta Hawks are in no hurry to trade Dejounte Murray until they can improve their squad. Fischer also said it’s a 50-50 chance Murray would be moved before the deadline.
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“I’m beginning to believe it’s closer to 50/50 than we anticipated all along. When I’ve inquired about it, the Hawks have always stated, ‘You know we don’t have to move him. This is what they did with John Collins for three years. So, if we take them at face value and consider their history, and they don’t receive their price range for him, I believe he will stay in Atlanta.
The Hawks squandered a lot of value by keeping John Collins for much too long, and if they insist on keeping Murray, they may find themselves in a similar predicament. However, if his market just consists of two teams, the Hawks would be better off waiting until the summer, when more clubs would have not only additional selections to offer, but also greater flexibility in roster composition.
If the Jazz are real candidates in Murray’s trade discussions, I believe they can easily outbid the Lakers by giving more draft selections and more valuable young players. However, considering the Lakers’ aging roster and a paucity of picks to rebuild with once the LeBron James era ends, a 2029 first-round pick is perhaps the most valuable in the NBA right now.
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