Sadly, Billy Donovan had been dismissed as a result of a management decision.
By almost all accounts, the Sixers have decided not to pursue Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam or Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine in advance of the NBA trade deadline on February 8. However, that may not always be the case with Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray.
The Sixers and Los Angeles Lakers were two of the teams that contacted Chris Haynes of Turner Sports last Friday “to check on the availability” of Murray. Murray is a player of interest, but Haynes later clarified that he didn’t think Murray was the Sixers’ “No. 1 target.
Haynes did not say what the Hawks could ask for in Murray, whom they recently signed to a $114 million, four-year contract extension. However, as of this past Friday, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that the Hawks have made Murray, along with almost every other player on their roster, “widely available.” He also clarified any possible goals the Hawks might have for the trade deadline.
“There’s plenty of sense for the Hawks, currently 14-19, to consider selling some of their veteran contributors, incorporating a lottery pick alongside Young and Johnson, then stepping back toward Atlanta’s bigger goal of competing in the playoffs under head coach Quin Snyder next season,” Fischer wrote. “Atlanta owes its 2025 first-round selection to San Antonio as part of the haul that landed Murray.” “Atlanta has been among the league’s most engaged teams on the phones.”
In contrast to the Raptors, who seem determined to maintain their competitiveness following the trade of OG Anunoby, the Hawks appear prepared to purposefully regress. The Hawks are a far more sensible trade partner than the Raptors because the Sixers primarily have draft picks and expiring contracts to offer.
So, ought Murray to be the Sixers’ main attraction during the trade deadline? That is contingent upon your assessment of Murray, the Sixers’ most pressing needs, and the potential alternatives.
Murray averaged a career-high 21.1 points, 9.2 assists, 8.3 rebounds, and a league-leading 2.0 steals in just 34.8 minutes per game in 2021–22, his final season with the San Antonio Spurs.
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On December 25, 1995, it was. Cheers to a Merry Christmas! We’re in Orlando for a rematch of the championship match between the winners and losers. (Or, as they like to be referred to, The Magic and the Rockets, who have won two titles.) There are eight seconds remaining in the score. For vengeance, magic must prevail. For respect, the Rockets must prevail. I just said that the Rockets are the defending champions, right? Doesn’t that warrant them some respect? Now let’s get started. Let’s go back in time.
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In 34.6 minutes per night this season, Murray is averaging 20.9 points, 5.0 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. In addition, he is shooting a career-high 6.0 three-pointers per game, connecting on them 38.4% of the time. Compared to his deep shooting percentages of 32.7 percent in 2021–22 and 34.4 percent in 2022–23, that represents a significant improvement.
If you think Murray can continue to shoot three points at that level in the future, it’s not hard to see him complementing Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. When Maxey takes a break, he can serve as the bench unit’s primary playmaker and complementary scorer. Murray has been even less successful in transition this year than De’Anthony Melton, but he would still be an improvement over Melton in most cases.
Murray’s defense is actually the real concern. He was once among the league’s best backcourt defenders; in three of his first four seasons, he finished in the 80th percentile or higher in the defensive estimated plus/minus for dunks and threes. However, since moving to Atlanta, his play has declined. The Sixers would need to have faith in Trae Young’s ability to recover and become a top-tier defender alongside Embiid, even though he is currently playing next to the defensive sieve that is Trae Young.
During an appearance on the Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast, he stated, “I would say first off, they need to be pretty solid on both ends.” It becomes extremely difficult for your best players to be outstanding in one area as the playoffs approach. It has occasionally succeeded, but not often. Additionally, we probably need them to have some playmaking, connecting, and ball-moving skills. We fall a little short on that, and the playoffs are when it matters most.
Prior to having a few months to observe Maxey’s ascent to All-Star contention and prior to Patrick Beverley solidifying his hold on the backup point guard position, Morey made those remarks early in the season. Additionally, he hadn’t seen much of Robert Covington, Marcus Morris Sr., Nicolas Batum, or any of the players he acquired on Halloween when he dealt James Harden and P.J. Tucker to the Los Angeles Clippers.
