Do the New Orleans Pelicans prefer Dejounte Murray over Trae Young as a trade target?

It’s the NBA’s worst-kept secret that the Atlanta Hawks will likely break up their backcourt duo of Dejounte Murray and Trae Young this offseason. Since the trade for Murray in the summer of 2022, the results have been disappointing. Atlanta was eliminated in the first round against the Boston Celtics last season, then lost in the play-in tournament to the Chicago Bulls this season. Many expect the Hawks to make a move, but which point guard will they trade and where will they trade them? Atlanta was shopping Murray up until the trade deadline this season, but decided to keep him. Who will be interested in Murray this offseason?

One of the teams interested in Murray before the trade deadline was the New Orleans Pelicans and it’s safe to say that these two are natural trade partners with each other. New Orleans has a plethora of wing players that Atlanta could covet while New Orleans needs a point guard for its offense. Would the Pelicans try to trade for one of the Hawks’ guards and if so, which one would they prefer? Christian Clark on nola.com suggested today that the Pelicans might have more interest in Murray than Young.

You can read the entire article here.

Former Hawks All-Star point guard Jeff Teague said on an episode of his podcast, the Club 520 Podcast, that he thought a trade involving Murray and Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram was going to happen:

“I say they’re going to trade Dejounte Murray for Brandon Ingram. I think they’re going to do it straight up.”

No matter who Atlanta keeps at point guard, this is a team that needs size at the forward/wing position, as well as someone who could double as point guard and be a threat at both sense. While Ingram isn’t as strong a defender as an offensive player, he would fill many of the Hawks’ needs.

At 6’8 190 LBS, Ingram checks off the size the Hawks need and he also checks the playmaking box. Whether he has the ball in his hands or not, Ingram can either get his own shot or set up one. others. He averaged nearly six assists per game over the past three seasons and was a good shot creator for the Pelican offense. He had a rough offensive run against the Thunder in the first round of the playoffs this season, but being with Young or Murray would open up a lot of things for him.

However, he is not a perfect fit for Atlanta, especially from a defensive standpoint. If he were to be paired with Young, he would add to the team’s defensive issues, but they could be overcome because while he is not a great defender, he is not one of the worst in the league and he at least has size. . The other thing would be his three-point shooting, as it has fluctuated a bit over the years. He shot 35.5% from three this year, up from 39% last year. The year before, he shot 32 percent. There is an inconsistency with his three-point shot.

Ingram is also entering the final year of his contract and will need a new one after next season. Obviously, if the Hawks trade for him, they’ll give him a new contract, but that would also tie him and the team’s point guard up. Also consider that Jalen Johnson will be extension eligible this offseason, meaning Atlanta could have a lot of money tied up in Young/Murray, Ingram, the No. 1 pick (unless he’s traded), and Johnson . This would be the core of the Hawks if they made this trade and they would have to hope that it could bring them more success than they have had recently in the playoffs.

We’ll have to see what both teams plan to do this summer, but Atlanta and New Orleans could be looking to reshape their rosters. They also make natural business partners.

Ingram would bring a lot of upside to the Hawks and it appears New Orleans might be willing to move him. Let’s see what happens this summer.