The Spurs might still be trade Dejounte Murray to the Hawks – but with Danilo Gallinarinot John Collins as an appropriate salary.
Zach Klein of WSB-TV Atlanta:
Jake Fischer from Bleker Report:
By using Gallinari instead of Collins commercially, San Antonio would cut costs in the long run. Collins has four years left and he has $102 million left on his contract.
Gallinari is on a ending contract with just $5 million of a $21.45 million salary guaranteed until tomorrow, when the last year of his contract would be fully guaranteed. To trade him directly for Murray, Atlanta would have to guarantee a minimum of $11,571,120. The Spurs would then likely forego Gallinari.
Obviously Gallinari isn’t nearly as good as Collins. But the Spurs would dive deeper into rebuilding if they traded Murray. The draft picks would be the main return with Gallinari as just the channel. The Hawks all have their own future first-round picks plus a Hornets first-rounder (top-16 protected in 2023, lottery-protected in 2024 and 2025, and two second-rounders after that).
It probably requires a cargo of choices.
Murray is a 25 year old Star† Although he only made it as a replacement for injury and because the NBA still divides All-Star rosters by conference, although All-Star teams are no longer divided that way, All-Star status usually drives the price of up a player.
In addition, Murray would be a good fit in Atlanta. The guard’s defense would be more than welcome, and his game could unlock Trae Youngoff ball ability.
Murray is just due $34,285,120 the next two years. Now that San Antonio has cap space this summer, he could seek a renegotiation and extension – which could lead to the Spurs trading him in if they don’t rate him as highly. However, he would be stuck with that relatively cheap salary with the Hawks, who – as an over-the-cap team – were not allowed to renegotiate his deal. Even if Murray wanted an extension, the largest extension allowed without renegotiation would be a steal.
It’s easy to see how Murray can be more valuable to the Hawks than to the Spurs – making the conditions ripe for a trade.
As for Collins, still see if it is shared this summer, even if it’s not to San Antonio.
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Hawks off-season report: Collins trade still very likely, interest in Ayton… After drafting Memphis center Jalen Duren, Pistons reportedly may be out… Winners, Losers of the 2022 NBA Draft
Rumor: Spurs about to trade Dejounte Murray to Hawks for picks, not John Collins originally appeared on NBCSports.com