With the Knicks interested in potentially adding Dejounte Murray, they could potentially have to deal away premium draft capital in order to land him. There’s a lot for the Knicks to like in the point guard, as not only does he provide playmaking and scoring, but he can also help them defensively in a lesser role next to OG Anunoby. He’s a primary ballhandler who can run with the second unit if need be and stagger minutes with Jalen Brunson, but he might come at a high price.
According to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, he’s heard that the Atlanta Hawks are looking for two first-round picks in a potential deal for the former All-Star guard.
Knicks May Have to Make a Tough Decision to Land Dejounte Murray
Dejounte Murray is averaging 21.1 points per game while shooting 46.9% from the field, having his best shooting season in his second year with the Atlanta Hawks. The issue that Murray has had since going to Atlanta stems from defensive issues that have plagued him, but in New York, he would have one of the best wing defenders in the NBA next to him in OG Anunoby to take defensive pressure off of Murray. What the Knicks would be acquiring Dejounte Murray for is his aforementioned scoring prowess, as he’s become an excellent shooter.
He’s having his best shooting season from three as well, with a career-high in attempts per game (6.1) and three-point percentage (39.1%), and if the Knicks can add him to their rotation, he could help anchor their second unit. Miles McBride has been excellent since becoming a mainstay in the rotation, but his inability to shot create has made it hard for New York to keep their offense running when they don’t have one of Julius Randle or Jalen Brunson on the court.
The 27-year-old guard ranks in the 57th Percentile in Points Per Possession (1.01), and doing an excellent job of self-shot creation that can anchor an offense while he’s on the court. He ranks in the 74th Percentile in Self-Created Shot Creation, especially on the perimeter where he’s become an excellent scorer from downtown. Dejounte Murray can both pull up from three or catch-and-shoot if the play calls for it. which the Knicks would heavily covet. This is a player that they’ve targeted various times, and that would lead us to believe that they have a strong evaluation of him.
When he was first made available in trade talks with the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks were among the teams involved in his services before Atlanta dealt a myriad of first-round picks to acquire him. While New York is certainly happy with the choice they made to acquire Jalen Brunson instead, their interest in him just two years later would suggest that they believe he’s a great fit for their playstyle.
The question that remains is whether they’d be willing to meet Atlanta’s demands, as Leon Rose has been very selective with his acquisitions on the market, and they’ve been waiting for the right kind of roster to splurge their picks on. This team is one of the best they’ve had in the 21st Century, and Murray could also serve as a trade piece for a bigger star due to his salary and value to any roster as a primary option on offense.
It all comes down to whether the Knicks believe Dejounte Murray is worth his price or not, but they could get a stellar fit for their roster if they’re able to land him.