When two of the league’s most prolific guards come together to join forces, it can go one of two ways. Well, on second thought, more than one of two ways, because when it comes to the NBA expecting the unexpected is to be expected.
Over the summer, the Spurs traded Dejounte Murray to the Hawks for Danilo Gallinari and three first-round draft picks. On paper the trade seems to work out for the Spurs pretty well. The Spurs are officially in their rebuilding phase and are rumored to tank this season for the 7’4 stud from France, Victor Wembanyama. For the Hawks, the trade looks great on paper, but does it pass the eye test?
Last year, Young averaged 28.4 points per game and 9.7 assists per game. He went on to have a historic season, as he became the first player since Nate Archibald in 1971 to lead the league in total points and total assists. Don’t forget he made an All-NBA Team as well. He continued to show his striking ability as one of the league’s most prolific offensive weapons, but it was obvious the Hawks and Young would need help.
Ever since they reached the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2021 postseason, things haven’t been the same. In this year’s playoffs, the results were the complete opposite as the Heat made quick work of the Hawks in a 4-1 dismantling. The Heat took Trae out of his game and by the time the series was over, Young was mentally and physically defeated. It showed in his series stats as he averaged 15.4 ppg and six apg. This is all to say, Young needs help and that’s exactly what the Hawks went after this offseason.
The Hawks ranked #21 in overall NBA defensive ratings. With the new addition of Murray, this ranking is sure to change. He’s proven himself on both ends, but especially on the defensive end. He’s one of the league’s longest and most agile guards. He’s a 6’4 combo guard that can guard any position on the perimeter. He also had one of his best seasons last year as he averaged 21.1 ppg, 8.3 rpg and 9.2 apg. Last year, Trae was constantly taken advantage of on the defensive end, Murray could prove to be the remedy for Trae’s weakness.
Alright, well everything sounds good right? Not quite, said Steph Curry. Curry has made a name for himself for being the greatest shooter of all time. He also is known for being one the best off-ball players in the league. This is where Young must take notes from Curry’s limitless bag of tricks. Throughout Ice Trae’s career, he’s never had to play much off-ball basketball, practically, none. This dates back to his high school days at Norman North High where he averaged 34.2 ppg and the ball was always in his hands. This continued to his days at The University of Oklahoma where he put up 27.4 ppg.
This upcoming season is the start of something new. Young is going to have to learn how to move without the ball and still remain a threat while on the court. Murray will have to do the same, but he also isn’t the same high-volume scorer Young is, so his adjustments might not be as hard, especially coming from a Spurs offensive system led by future HOFer Gregg Popovich.
Good news for Atlanta fans, the chemistry between all the guys seems to be tremendous. Trae Young and the entire team played together several times over the summer, appearing in viral clips during pro-am games all over the U.S. For now, John Collins seems to no longer be in trade talks and also made appearances with Young and Murray over the summer. Murray also seems to be more motivated than ever. He was the star of the summer as he constantly invited other pro players to join him in the pro-am games, and even was involved in some drama with this year’s number one overall draft pick Paolo Banchero. Murray trained with Lebron James over the summer, encapsulating his eventful offseason.
With the chemistry looking the way it does and the new additions, this year looks to be nothing short of successful. Buckle up Atlanta, it’s time for this team to achieve new levels of success.
