Audacy.com NBA insider Ryan McDonough joined Dukes & Bell for his weekly appearance on the show and talked about what the Hawks would look like if they complete a trade for San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray and would it fill their biggest need?
When asked what Atlanta's biggest need is.
“Certainly the biggest need I think for the Hawks, at least in my opinion, is a secondary playmaker, ball handler," McDonough said. "You guys know the load that Trae Young has to carry and he’s great at it. Offensively he scores, he passes, he does everything. But the team has struggled when Trae is off the court.
"I think Travis Schlenk, and the front office, probably views Dejounte Murray as a perfect fit playing alongside Trae in the starting lineup. He’s got much better size than Trae does, he rebounds the ball very well, he’s a nightly triple-double threat, and I think another big part of the calculation for the Hawks and why they’re so aggressive seemingly pursuing Murray is when Trae’s off the court. When he’s resting, when he’s injured, in foul trouble whatever the case may be then they can put the ball in Dejounte Murray’s hands, he’s had the ball in his hands a lot in San Antonio and he can run the team.”
McDonough talked about how and why the Hawks could keep John Collins.
“If it is for Murray and say Gallinari on an expiring contract and a bunch of draft picks I think in that case Atlanta should keep John Collins unless it is a clear upgrade, because if you gave up a bunch of picks for Dejounte Murray you’re trying to win now. You have Trae Young, you definitely have DeAndre Hunter back either on the last year of his rookie scale or maybe even on a new extension, you are going for it.
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"So I think you need to be consistent. And the only way you move Collins in that scenario is if you get a veteran player that helps you win more. I don’t think Murray coming in would impact Collins at all. In fact I think it would help John Collins. And if Gallinari is the key piece in the deal financially to make it work in terms of receiving Murray’s salary then that makes Collins all that much more important to the Hawks.”