Star No. 2: Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks
Murray seems extremely available right now and while he may require the Nuggets to throw in some pick capital, it may be worth the price. Murray has been an odd fit next to the ball-dominant Trae Young but could pair well in the backcourt alongside Jamal Murray. The two could almost share lead ballhandling duties, as they are both capable of leading an offense, but don’t necessarily require the ball.
Murray could theoretically replace KCP’s defense and MPJ’s offense all in one fell swoop while still making a reasonable salary. Murray should also have a chip on his shoulder after being scapegoated to an extent in Atlanta. He could rediscover himself with a smaller offense role on a winning team in Denver and could get back to being the defensive menace he was in San Antonio.
Bored…. so here’s Dejounte Murray cooking the Celtics pic.twitter.com/RVDUXzb7gX
— HawksFleet (@DeJMuse) May 27, 2024
This move would immediately make the Nuggets better on both sides of the ball and would offer them more lineup versatility and more ways to run their offense in both the regular season and playoffs. It’s anybody’s guess what the Hawks will look to do this offseason, but if they decide to get rid of Dejounte, the Nuggets should make a call to gauge the possibility of a Murray/Murray starting guard room.