4 Deals that should have happened at the 2024 NBA trade deadline

4. Dejounte Murray

Current team: Atlanta Hawks
Better trade proposal: Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans

At the start of the trade deadline day, Chris Haynes from Bleacher Report revealed that the trade between the Atlanta Hawks and the New Orleans Pelicans for guard Dejounte Murray had come to a halt with no signs of progress. However, just before the deadline, Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN reported that the Atlanta Hawks had decided to keep Murray. This decision, similar to the Chicago Bulls' decision to not make any moves for their veterans, doesn't seem to make much sense.

Since Murray joined the Hawks, their performance has been subpar with both him and Trae Young on the court, as they have a negative rating of -1.8 points per 100 possessions. In contrast, when Young plays without Murray, the team has a positive rating of +-2.5 points. It is clear that it is time to separate this duo, and the Pelicans have a few players who could be a better fit alongside Murray, such as Jordan Hawkins, Naji Marshall, or Dyson Daniels, even if they are not the team's top assets.

However, it is worth considering that New Orleans might have faced a similar issue with Murray as Atlanta does. Both Murray and CJ McCollum would form a relatively small backcourt, but McCollum has been playing as a point guard since joining the Pelicans. Acquiring Murray could have allowed McCollum to return to his natural position. On a playoff team with a strong defensive presence, Murray might have been motivated to showcase his defensive skills, similar to when he played for the San Antonio Spurs.