"Tell me when to go": Dejounte Murray sparks Lakers trade speculation with cryptic IG story
Atlanta Hawks star guard Dejounte Murray added fuel to the recent trade rumors surrounding him with a cryptic Instagram story on Wednesday.
Murray’s story featured him sitting on the sidelines of a golden yellow basketball court with the caption, “Tell me when to go!” Naturally, many fans assumed that it was the LA Lakers’ court, given that the Lakers are reportedly one of his primary trade suitors.
However, the court that Murray shared is that of the Golden State Warriors, as the Hawks are facing the Warriors on the road on Wednesday.
Nonetheless, reading into his IG story caption, it appears that the former All-Star may be ready to move on from Atlanta.
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What is the latest on Dejounte Murray-Lakers trade front?
Some have been skeptical whether LA can pull off a trade for a player the caliber of Dejounte Murray. The Lakers have reportedly been reluctant to offer Atlanta shooting guard Austin Reaves, their best player 25 or under.
However, they can still offer the Hawks draft picks and the short-term contracts of role players like D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura. They could also engage a third team in trade talks to send additional assets to Atlanta.
It’s unclear if that would be enough to get a deal done. But according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, there is a basis to the Murray to LA rumors.
“It feels like that has got very real legs to it,” Amick said. “Our Shams Charania has reported that the offers have gone back and forth. There was some chatter that the Hawks ideally would love to get their hands on Austin Reaves, that’s not gonna happen.
“But it feels like the Lakers have separated themselves from the Dejounte pack and it feels like to some degree, they’ve locked in on him as a guy that they think can help them.”
Additionally, The Athletic’s Shams Charania recently reported that Murray is among “the two guys at the forefront” of LA’s trade target list.
Murray would bring consistent all-around guard production to an LA team (22-23) that is struggling to stay afloat in the competitive Western Conference. He could slot in as the Lakers’ third scoring option behind stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis while providing them with additional playmaking and defense.
Through 43 games, Murray is averaging 21.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 2.4 3-pointers per game on 47.1% shooting.
Murray is also locked under contract until at least the end of 2027, with a player option for the 2027-28 season. Meanwhile, he should be entering his prime years.
So, the 27-year-old should be a safe long-term investment for the Lakers, if they can find a way to acquire him.
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