The Atlanta Hawks decided not to do anything in the NBA trade deadline last week despite the persistent rumors surrounding star guard Dejounte Murray.
The Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Knicks, and the Miami Heat reportedly courted the 27-year-old guard.
The Hawks keep their 1-2 punch in Murray and Trae Young. Well, for this season, it looks like it.
Recent reports revealed the duo might be broken up by the summer, and it will not be Murray who will depart.
NBA insider Marc Stein said there is a "growing belief" that Atlanta is considering trading away their 2018 fifth overall pick. He described it as the "most dramatic possible reset."
"Perhaps the more significant reason why Trae Trade Talk has a more tangible feel than ever before: There appears to be a true market forming for Young for really the first time in his six seasons as a Hawk," he said.
This is indeed a move that could shock the NBA world. Young, who was picked as a replacement for the Indianapolis All-Star Game, is a franchise player. He is the cornerstone of the Hawks.
He even led them to the 2021 Eastern Conference finals, where they lost to eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks.
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However, they have been crawling their way back to the top since then. They haven't gone past the first round since 2021 and are currently 24-30 for 10th place in the East standings.
Stein's report will probably not get confirmed by the Hawks. What is sure, though, is that they need to make a move if they want to get out of their current funk.
Murray and Young are great assets that could get them a first-round draft pick or two, with one more good role player.
It is now time to play hypotheticals. If the Hawks are indeed leaning towards going to the future without any of the two, who should they trade away, and who should they build around on?
Who should the Hawks trade, Murray or Young?
Simply put, trading Young would be a step backward for the team. They haven't had a player like him who has great gravity since Dominique Wilkins.
Murray, for sure, is a good player, but since arriving at the State Farm Arena in 2022, he hasn't established himself as a much better player than Young. He still plays second fiddle to his point guard.
That is the present. In terms of decisions for the future, the front office has already proven that they can hang out with the best in the East if only Young is surrounded by the right players.
Opponents may exploit his defense, but his offense and peripherals should be enough to cover that up.
He currently leads the league in total assists and is in the Top 10 in point production.
His skills can still be a cornerstone for the Hawks more than Murray's, who is a much better player off the ball.
The team can create a formidable squad if they can acquire a big man who can serve as a pick-and-roll partner for their PG. Clint Capela's play decline can be blamed for their struggle in the past seasons as the league gets dominated by big men.
Young can hold his own on an individual level. However, he hasn't played with a true All-Star. A star-level big man might get them to another level.
The Hawks can't give up on Young yet. They haven't tried everything on him, someone who is multifaceted on offense.
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