Hot new three-team trade idea sends Dejounte Murray + Alex Caruso to Lakers, Hawks get Austin Reaves

Once the NBA Finals are over, the NBA offseason will begin and it could be crazy. There are a number of players that could move this offseason and one of them could be Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. Murray was being shopped before the trade deadline in February and it seems likely that he or Trae Young will be moved this offseason. The Hawks will be one of the main teams to watch in terms of roster moves this offseason, as they have the No. 1 pick and could move other players such as Clint Capela, De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic, and maybe more.

I’m still convinced the Hawks will keep Young, because I think they’re a better team with him and he gives them a higher ceiling than Murray (who is a very good player). Things could change of course, but I think the Hawks will end up keeping Young and trying to reorganize this roster around him. I think this could make Murray one of the best trade options on the market and one team that had interest in him at the deadline was the Los Angeles Lakers. If Young and Donovan Mitchell are out this summer, Murray might be the best player available, depending on your opinion of Brandon Ingram.

It was no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers attempted to trade for Hawks guard Dejounte Murray before last year’s trade deadline, but nothing happened, the Lakers and the Hawks having decided to stand by their teams. But at one point it looked like a deal between the two teams was possible. According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who covers the Lakers, wrote in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline:“The buzz on Murray is only increasing — and to noisy levels. The Lakers and Hawks have discussed potential frameworks for a deal, including a release late last week centered on Russell, Hood-Schifino , the 2029 first-round pick and additional draft compensation, according to multiple team and league sources, talks have since stalled, but are expected to resume as the deadline approaches.You can read the entire article here.

What if the Lakers and Hawks made a trade, but added an additional team? The Lakers could attempt to trade for Alex Caruso this offseason and he and Murray could be targets. It should be noted that this is simply a fun, speculative exercise to see what types of moves can be made, not what I think a team should absolutely do. That’s all.

Here is the trade:

Hawks receive: Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Lakers 2024 1st round pick (No. 17 overall)

The Lakers receive: Dejounte Murray, Alex Carusoand Torrey Craig

Chicago Bulls receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, AJ Griffin, 2029 top-five protected pick (Via Lakers)

I think it’s a profession that could be meaningful for everyone involved. The Hawks were rumored to like Reaves, but the Lakers didn’t want to part with him. Getting Caruso from the Bulls would make this choice easier, as Caruso could slide into Reaves’ starting spot alongside Murray, LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Craig would be added to give the Lakers some wing depth, which they would need.

While this isn’t the trade I would prefer, Reaves could play a starting role with the Hawks, Hachimura gives them size and length at wing, Hood-Schifino is a young player who could fit develop, and the Hawks would get the number 17 pick, which they could use to take a player to add to their core. If the Hawks stay #1 and take Alex Sarr or Donovan Clingan, this could be a pretty solid starting lineup. I still think Reaves and Young in the backcourt would have issues on defense and that while Hachimura is solid, he doesn’t move the needle. The Hawks also passed on Hood-Schifino in last year’s draft. This draft is not highly regarded and is the No. 17 pick so valuable? I wouldn’t make this trade if I were the Hawks, but the Lakers might end up being the best option in this year’s trade market, as they will desperately upgrade their team to maximize their window with James.

This would be a decent return to the Bulls for Caruso. They get two young players, Vanderbilt and Griffin (who came out of the Hawks rotation), and a future Lakers freshman who is likely to transfer. Caruso is 30 years old and his contract is expiring, so I think this might be the best return Chicago can hope for if they ultimately decide to move him and get some assets.

I think this trade benefits the Lakers and Bulls more than the Hawks and I wouldn’t make this trade if I were Atlanta, but the Lakers should be considered as a potential trade partner due to their past interest in Murray.

Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz listed three teams that would be best for Murray if he were to be traded and they included some intriguing, but not new, names, among them the Lakers:

“The last time Dejounte Murray was the primary point guard and primary ball handler for a full season, he was named to the All-Star team averaging 21.1 points, 9.2 assists, 8 .3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. He is the only player in NBA history to have posted these averages over a full season.

The Atlanta Hawks traded for Murray in 2022 and moved him to a more off-ball role alongside Trae Young, but it was a failure for everyone involved. The Hawks went 36-46 this season, down seven wins from the year before sending three first-round picks to the San Antonio Spurs for Murray.

Teams in need of a high-level playmaker should be relentless in calling Atlanta this summer. Murray, 27, is entering a four-year, team-friendly extension worth $114 million and is still an elite defender who would thrive if he returned to an on-ball role.

The Hawks should be willing to trade Murray to add better-fitting pieces around Young. A return to the Spurs would make a lot of sense for Murray, and teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic could look to improve their backcourt this summer.

Best Landing Sites: San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic

I wrote that the Magic would be a natural trade partner with the Hawks because of the defensive players Atlanta could then fit around Trae Young. Orlando needs a point guard who is also a solid defender and a trade between the two teams makes a lot of sense.

The Spurs traded Murray to the Hawks two summers ago, but they still need a true point guard to pair with Victor Wembanyama, who is coming off one of the best rookie seasons of all time. San Antonio might be ready to win sooner than people think and a move to get Murray back would totally make sense. Atlanta could get some of their draft capital back and Murray could go to a place he’s familiar with. He still has admiration for Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

Another team that hasn’t been mentioned, but probably should be, is the New Orleans Pelicans. Like Orlando, New Orleans needs a point guard and they have the kind of players the Hawks need in return. A deal would make sense for both sides and could even involve Brandon Ingram.

There’s still a way to go before players start being dealt this summer, but the Hawks will be the focus of almost every conversation during what could be a crazy summer.