Pelicans make trade with Hawks to acquire guard Dejounte Murray
In a surprising move, the New Orleans Pelicans acquired former All-Star guard Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks.
The Pelicans agreed to move a pair of first-round picks as well as forwards Larry Nance Jr. and E.J. Liddell along with guard Dyson Daniels. The first-round picks include a 2025 selection from the Los Angeles Lakers and a 2027 pick.
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Murray is entering the first year of his four-year, $114 million extension. The deal includes a $31.3 million player option for the 2027-28 season. The move comes after months of speculation that the Hawks were interested in moving either Murray or fellow star point guard Trae Young.
Murray is coming off another productive campaign, during which he averaged a career-best 22.5 points, 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 45.9 percent from the floor and 36.3 percent from 3-point range.
The 27-year-old will be a key part of the Pelicans’ young core that is hoping to make the next leap toward being a serious contender in the stacked Western Conference.
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Murray will be paired in the Pelicans’ backcourt alongside C.J. McCollum, while Zion Williamson remains the central piece in the frontcourt. They are coming off a disappointing first-round exit in a four-game sweep against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
New Orleans still has plenty of uncertainty around star forward Brandon Ingram’s future as he’s set to hit the open market in free agency next month. There is lingering chatter that New Orleans won’t offer a max contract of four years worth up to $208 million.
