Sources – Hawks to trade Dejounte Murray to Pelicans

The New Orleans Pelicans are adding Dejounte Murray to their backcourt via a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Friday.

The Pelicans are sending two first-round picks — a 2025 selection via the Los Angeles Lakers and a 2027 selection (the less favorable of the Milwaukee Bucks or New Orleans) — to the Hawks for Murray, 27, sources said. Forwards Larry Nance Jr. and EJ Liddell and guard Dyson Daniels will also go from New Orleans to Atlanta in the deal.

Murray averaged a career-high 22.5 points in 2023-24 for the Hawks, while also making a career-high 201 3-pointers. He averaged 6.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds while sharing the backcourt with fellow wideout Trae Young.

In 2022, Atlanta sent three first-round picks to the San Antonio Spurs for Murray in hopes of building their backcourt of the future. However, it didn’t pan out the way the team hoped; the Hawks never advanced past the first round of the playoffs with either.

In 2021-22, as San Antonio’s point guard, Murray averaged 21.1 points, 9.2 assists, 8.3 rebounds and a league-leading 2.0 steals per game.

Since arriving in Atlanta, Murray has seen his three-point shooting develop considerably.

In five full seasons with San Antonio (Murray missed the 2018-19 season due to a torn ACL), he made 218 three-pointers with a 33.0% three-point shooting percentage. He has made 334 in his two seasons with Atlanta, peaking at 36.3% in 2023-24.

The four-year, $114 million contract extension Murray signed in Atlanta last season has not yet gone into effect. He is set to make $25.3 million next season and will have a $31.3 million player option in 2027-28.

The Pelicans, who picked up team options on Jose Alvarado and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl earlier Friday, are now limited to the first apron. They have 12 players under contract and are $2.6 million below tax and $8.5 million below first apron, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

New Orleans was 0-22 entering the fourth quarter when trailing last season and has seen a huge drop-off in play in decisive games — defined as a score within five points with less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter or overtime — with an offensive rating (101.5) that ranks 26th in such moments. The Pelicans’ minus-12.1 net rating in decisive games ranks 24th in the league.

Murray, however, should help in this area.

He made 40 field goals last season, fifth most in the NBA. He also made three clearance shots in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter/overtime, tied with Stephen Curry for the most in the league.

Murray and Nikola Jokic were the only players to record 1,500 points, 500 assists and 100 steals last season. Murray also joins Luka Doncic as the only guards to average 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in each of the last three seasons (minimum 40 games each).

A member of the All-Defensive Team in 2018, Murray is the only player to have at least 100 interceptions in each of the last five seasons.

Daniels was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft and has shown promise on the defensive end, averaging 1.4 steals last season in just 22.3 minutes per game. A 6-foot-8 guard, he averaged 5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 2023-24.

Nance arrived in New Orleans as part of the CJ McCollum deal at the 2022 trade deadline and has battled injuries throughout his time there. He averaged 5.7 points and 5.0 rebounds last season as the Pelicans’ backup who often closed out games.

Liddell was a star at Ohio State, but tore knee ligaments in a summer league game in 2022 and missed the following season after surgery. He played in eight games last season for New Orleans.

The deal ends the Murray-Young partnership after just two seasons. The Hawks still owe unprotected picks for 2025 and 2027, as well as an unprotected trade for 2026, to the Spurs.

Information from ESPN Stats & Information was used in this report.