Hawks' Quin Snyder drops 'competitive' truth bomb ahead of Dejounte Murray return
12/02/2024 07:49 PM
Dejounte Murray returns to Atlanta for the first time since being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans during the offseason. Murray was traded to the Hawks and spent two seasons with the team and posted some of his best offensive numbers during that time.
Before the matchup, head coach Quin Snyder shared some kind words about Murray and what he learned about him as a player.
“We appreciated everything Dejounte did while he was here and what he provided this franchise,” Snyder said. “From a coaching standpoint, he was always someone [that was] competitive, and I think his competitive spirit is the thing, as much as anything that for me is when I think of Dejounte, that’s what I think of, and we wish him the best.”
Murray was brought to the Hawks to help relieve pressure from Trae Young, while also being a defensive stopper in the backcourt. Throughout the two seasons, it came to show that the pairing of Young and Murray wasn’t working, and the Hawks needed to go in a different direction.
The Hawks ended up trading Murray to the Pelicans for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., E.J. Liddell, and two first-round draft picks. On the Hawks side, it looks like the trade has benefitted them so far in the season, as Daniels has been one of the best defenders in the league, and Nance has become a solid reserve when he’s on the court.
For the Pelicans, injuries have plagued their season as most of their starting lineup has been sidelined. Murray just returned to the court after missing most of the season with a hand fracture. The hope is when the team is fully healthy, they can string together some wins and make their way through the conference.
Dejounte Murray returns to Atlanta for first time since trade
During the offseason, Trae Young spoke about the trade on an episode of Podcast P with Paul George presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment.
"On the court, it’s just tough. We wanted to win, but sometimes, we’re not the first duo that couldn't work and we're not going to be the last," Young said. "The only bad part, we didn’t get to win as much as we wanted to. The good part is, we have a lifelong relationship. Our relationship goes beyond basketball.
Young and Murray were able to help the Hawks get to the playoffs in their first season playing together, but they ended up losing to the Boston Celtics in the first round. In the next season, they lost to the Chicago Bulls and the play-in tournament.
The trade may end up working out for both teams, as the Pelicans needed a true point guard that could get Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson the ball, and the Hawks were looking to add more perimeter defense around Young.
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