Dejounte Murray Trade Rumors Signaling Spurs Tank Attempt for French Superstar?
The trade rumors involving San Antonio Spurs All-Star guard Dejounte Murray have been one of the hottest topics of conversation in the league leading up to and following the 2022 NBA Draft this past Thursday.
Murray is coming off an All-Star season that saw him reach near triple-double averages of 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists while leading the NBA in steals. The Spurs could jump the gun before next offseason and sign him to an extension now or trade him at his highest value in a clear attempt to rebuild from the ground up rather than flirt with an eight seed in the Western Conference.
Bleacher Report had originally reported Wednesday, a day before the draft, that the Spurs and Atlanta Hawks were discussing a John Collins-Murray swap with additional assets being sent to San Antonio in what would be a "Jrue Holiday-like package." The idea was that the Spurs would've been aiming to move up in the draft, something that never came to light as general manager Brian Wright stayed put with all three first-round selections.
These discussions, which could have been nothing more than one of the many front office calls around the league that fail to reach an agreement prior to the draft, seemed to gain some real traction on Monday when WSB-Ch. 2 Atlanta Sports Director Zach Klein reported that the Hawks could be "on the verge" of trading for Murray. However, Collins will reportedly not be involved in a potential deal as the Spurs would instead receive Danilo Gallinari and "multiple first-round picks" in return.
So, what's the end game here?
The Spurs have essentially been in No Man's Land since trading superstar Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors in July 2018. Half-hearted attempts at making the postseason the last three seasons has resulted in missing out on prime draft stock.
In that time, all four of the Spurs' Southwest Division rivals have each had a top-five selection in the draft and snagged some all-world talent along the way. Guys like Dallas Mavs star Luka Doncic, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, and New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (despite not playing last season) were all top-five picks and have proven their talent is generational. Even the Houston Rockets second-overall selection of Jalen Green seems like a major hit after his impressive rookie year this past season.
Meanwhile, the Spurs barely made the play-in game in April while the Grizz, Mavs, and Pels all saw some level of success this postseason. Still no recent playoff success and no top-five draft selection in San Antonio. Hence, "No Man's Land."
But with a Murray trade to Atlanta in exchange for multiple first-round picks, the Spurs, who would be on track to have a far worse record next season without their star, could put themselves in position to land a prospect that could reach LeBron James-type pre-draft hype.
The prize? A 7-2, 18-year-old French sensation named Victor Wembanyama, who's fresh off a Euroleague title with the Tony Parker-owned LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne French team on Monday.
To get a sense of the hype surrounding the versatile forward, ESPN, FanSided, and NBA Draft Room all released early 2023 mock drafts following Thursday's selections. Wembanyama was the No. 1 pick in all three mocks, and that's only beginning to scratch the surface.
Of course, with the lottery system, the Spurs aren't guaranteed to secure the No. 1 overall pick no matter how hard they tank. But having multiple selections to use as potential pieces in a trade to move into the top spot next June is better than nothing.
If San Antonio fails to win the Wembanyama sweepstakes, it's likely the team in the top spot would require a significant haul to move down. Having a slew of picks to offer could be tempting for the receiving team, though nothing is guaranteed.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, for example, are another team to watch in this instance, as general manager Sam Presti owns a whopping 10 first-round picks over the next three drafts. The Spurs just wouldn't be able to compete with this in a potential trade to move up.
Again, it would require a significant haul for the Spurs to deal their young superstar. But the loss could prove worth it down the line if Wembanyama is an unspoken target for Wright and the San Antonio front office.
You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7
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