Report: Hawks could pair Trae Young with another All-Star

Apr 19, 2022; Miami, Florida, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young warms up prior to game two of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Miami Heat at FTX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Trae Young might not be the only All-Star in the ATL for long.

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported on Wednesday that the Atlanta Hawks are discussing a John Collins-Dejounte Murray swap with the San Antonio Spurs. Fischer adds that the Spurs are telling teams that it would take a “Jrue Holiday-like package” (i.e. three first-round picks) to pry away Murray. That said, San Antonio’s most significant discussions on Murray do appear to be with the Hawks, Fischer notes.

Murray, 25, was an NBA All-Star this past season with ritzy averages of 21.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and a league-leading 2.0 steals per game (all career-highs). He is owed $34.3 million over the next two seasons, making Murray a tasty bargain relative to his production.

Atlanta can use the 24-year-old forward Collins, who still has some upside, to help make a deal work, especially since Collins is rumored to be on the way out already. As for Murray, he is an optimal backcourt partner for Young as a long guard who defends, rebounds, and can function as an efficient secondary creator on offense. But the Hawks could be facing notable competition for Murray from elsewhere in their own division.