Dejounte Murray fuels Lakers trade rumors, deletes all Hawks-related IG posts after heated fan exchange
Dejounte Murray's trade links to the LA Lakers spiked up after his latest Instagram activity. Days after engaging in a back-and-forth with Atlanta Hawks fans over his play, Murray deleted all his Instagram posts related to the Hawks. The only video he has in a Hawks uniform is of his game-winner against the Miami Heat on Jan. 19.
According to NBA rumors, the Lakers and Hawks have had conversations on a trade. The Lakers are leading the race to sign Murray, a coveted target, ahead of the NBA trade deadline. Here's a screenshot of Murray's Instagram profile that features all but one post in a Hawks jersey:
Some posts where the Hawks gear is visible are related to Murray's personal updates, like his hairstyle or outfits. Shortly before the drastic makeover of his Instagram feed, Murray uploaded an image with a fiery caption, taunting his fans. He stated:
"All This Social Media Sh*+ Don’t Matter. Make Sure You HAPPY In Real Life!!!! #RealOverFake"
What was Dejounte Murray's back-and-forth with Hawks fans?
Murray has been an exceptional two-way player during his NBA career, seeing him become a coveted trade target for contenders. Amid his recent offensive explosion, Murray has shot on 47/39/84 splits. However, Hawks fans think his defensive efficiency dropped.
A fan pointed out that on one of the Hawks pages, which Murray noticed and responded to with an 'NSFW' reaction, saying:
"Both of y'all MFs lame as f**k. Just running your mf mouth. You can't touch nobody in this soft a** league today so who really able to play real defense?
"Ain't nobody blowing pass me cause it's a pride thing mf! Know the facts before y'all start running your mouth wannabe coaches and Gm clowns!"
The back-and-forth resulted in Murray's outrage in his latest Instagram post. It may be the last straw for his time in Atlanta, and a trade move seems imminent based on his off-court activities.
Latest on Dejounte Murray-Lakers trade front
According to Lakers' beat writer Jovan Buha, Dejounte Murray is a top priority for the LA Lakers. The Lakers and Hawks have engaged in discussions, with D'Angelo Russell part of those talks. However, Atlanta isn't interested in Russell.
That could see a third team get involved. The Hawks will likely want an expiring contract in exchange for Murray. Russell has a player option after the end of the year. He could be a one-and-a-half-year rental instead.
However, based on his recent play, Russell could end up staying in LA until the season's end. He's upped his production and efficiency after being re-inserted in the starting lineup, so LA has some decisions to make as the trade deadline nears.