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The Dejounte Murray trade rumors continue to gain momentum as the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline is fast approaching. With numerous teams showing interest in the acquisition of the Atlanta Hawks guard, the LA Lakers are among the teams rumored to be involved, as per The Athletic's Jovan Buha. An acquisition like this would involve a huge trade package from the Lakers. Here's a look.
As of now, the Atlanta Hawks are in 10th place (17-23 record) in the Eastern Conference standings with the team struggling to win games this season. With these trade rumors piling up, it looks like the Atlanta Hawks franchise is somewhat rethinking the effectiveness of the tandem between Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
Interestingly, the Lakers are in some measure in the same boat as the Hawks. The team is in 10th place (21-21 record) in the Western Conference standings. The team's production has been inconsistent so far this season with constantly changing rotations.
Whether this rumored package is what the Lakers have offered to the Hawks, there are three reasons why they should seal the deal on acquiring Murray at the 2024 NBA Trade Deadline.
Three reasons why the LA Lakers should close the deal on the Dejounte Murray acquisition
3) Dejounte Murray is a better defender
There's no denying that Murray is an all-around better defender than D'Angelo Russell. The Lakers guard's inconsistency at the defensive end has caused headaches for the team and often results in mismatches during games.
On the other hand, Murray has the length, size and speed to cause some problems for offensive players.
With the acquisition of the Hawks guard, the Lakers' defense at the backcourt position could see some much-needed improvement.
2) Dejounte Murray is a better offensive player
Compared to D'Angelo Russell's scoring ability, Murray simply does more with the reliability to create his own shot. This season, the Hawks star is averaging 21.0 points (47.1% shooting, including 38.3% from 3-point range) and 4.8 assists per game.
Despite Russell being a more efficient shooter from beyond the arc, Murray's 38.3% 3-point shooting is acceptable, considering he can get to the cup as part of his offensive bag.
1) LA Lakers need to maximize Anthony Davis and LeBron James' level of production
LeBron James is playing in his sixth season with the LA Lakers at 39 years of age, while Anthony Davis is in his fifth season with the team and is 30 years old. The two superstars are not getting any younger, which places more urgency on the Lakers' front office to get a trade like this done.
The inclusion of Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2029 first-round pick and additional draft compensation can sound like a lot to land Murray in the process. However, the Lakers would want to make another deep playoff run now while LeBron James still has something left in the tank.
