The Atlanta Hawks faced some chaos in past seasons, but Dejounte Murray will stay in Atlanta to keep their exciting backcourt together.
Dejounte Murray Signs Extension With the Atlanta Hawks
Dejounte signed a 4-year, $120 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks on July 6th. The deal keeps Murray paired with All-Star guard Trae Young, allowing the duo to remain intact for the future. Young and Murray had late-season success as they earned the seventh seed and challenged Boston to a six-game series. Therefore, Dejounte is key to the success of the Hawks’ future.
What Does He Bring to the Table?
Offense Generation
When you think of offensive generators, fans go to Nikola Jokic because he is arguably the best offensive engine in the league. However, Murray generates offense as well. Dejounte was 25th in assist percentage in the league. Murray also averaged 20.5 points per contest and 23 points per game in the postseason. His ability to create offense consistently down the floor is an exciting aspect of his game. Atlanta was 6th in offensive efficiency, so Murray brings value to the offensive side of the basketball for the Hawks. In a high pick-and-roll league, Murray excels because of his ability to create for other teammates and himself. Dejounte is an offensive generator.
Defense
In addition to his offensive success, Dejounte Murray is a solid defender. He averaged 1.5 steals in 2023, yet produced more steals in 2022 with the Spurs. Dejounte was also 82nd in Defensive Win Shares out of 539 players listed. He defends and is active, getting deflections and steals. He needs to continue to get back to the defender he was in 2022, even though he was solid in 2023. Atlanta needs much improvement on defense, so Murray needs to continue to lead the charge on that end.
Another Guard Option
Dejounte is another guard that can play on the ball when Trae needs rest during the game. He passes well, runs pick-and-roll effectively, and understands offensive management. Trae will get rest and have another guard who can score and facilitate at a high level. Therefore, he needed to be signed because giving Young another good guard option is imperative.
Last Word on Dejounte Murray
Dejounte Murray brings a lot to Atlanta, and the deal makes sense. The Hawks traded away John Collins, so they could not afford to lose another offensive option in the offseason. Furthermore, Murray and Young played well together and will only get better with another year with head coach Quin Snyder.
However, the question remains: Is this duo good enough to contend with the top teams in the Eastern Conference?
