Since Miami acquired Terry Rozier a week ago, there has been an unusual lack of activity leading up to the 2024 NBA trade deadline, which is in nine days. The blockbuster agreements featuring Pascal Siakam, James Harden, and OG Anunoby were among the most high-profile deadline transactions, but that doesn't mean we won't see more deals in the future. No, there are still a lot of deals to finalize; thus, let's examine the rumors this morning to glean any helpful information before the deadline.
"Everyone is on the table except for Stephen Curry," says Shams Charania of The Athletic on Run it Back on FanDuel TV. According to him, the Warriors "see Jonathan Kuminga and Brandon Podziemski as part of their core moving forward," they are also planning to make decisions on Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, and maybe even Klay Thompson.
According to NBA news reports, this has significant ramifications for basketball. The Chase Center would be better served by displaying an "open for business" sign. With matching salaries of almost $70 million between Paul and Thompson, the Warriors could potentially afford to trade for nearly anyone. The burden of deciding Wiggins's appeal would rest with the court because he is likewise expensive but has a long extension. However, the Warriors must part with more valuable long-term assets to get a significant talent boost. Although the Warriors have first-round selections in 2026 and 2028 that can be traded, Kuminga and Podziemski are the players that other teams will most desire, regardless of whether the Warriors consider them key players.
Dejounte Murray's name has circulated more during this deadline cycle than any other high-level player. Several clubs have checked in on Atlanta's former All-Star point guard and the Lakers, who have been extensively connected to him. Naturally, his high demand is due to his exceptional talent. He is so outstanding that Hawks coach Quin Snyder is reportedly trying to convince the front office to retain him, according to Marc Stein.
In terms of basketball, the issue is: if they retain Murray, what is Atlanta's real strategy for the future? Due to the original Murray deal, they have very few draft assets and will be subject to the luxury tax next year as a result of their cumulative long-term pay. If the Hawks were winning games with Murray and Trae Young, that would be OK, but they're only 19-27 so far this year. Some sort of shift is obviously required since they don't look like they're going to compete. Who else could it be than Murray?
Although it remains unclear, it might be worthwhile to delve a little more and inquire about the dynamics at play in the front office. Landry Fields, the Hawks' new general manager, is less seasoned than Travis Schlenk, who was let go by the team last season. Conversely, Snyder was in high demand and employed shortly after. Nobody seems to be in charge, but the seasoned coach usually has some sway over personnel matters in these kinds of circumstances. Is that you as well? According to rumors, owner Tony Ressler's son Nick now has considerable influence in the front office. So, who exactly is controlling Atlanta's long-term strategy, and how much leverage Snyder has to stop Murray from being sold is also unknown.