Will Murray and Young continue to be a good combination for the team in the future?
The Atlanta Hawks made the decision to stick with their current roster for the remainder of the regular season, despite being one of the teams that was most widely rumored before to the trade deadline. Atlanta hopes to contend for the playoffs with the team they had and then make another decision regarding the roster in the summer, though things might be reviewed again.
Landry Fields talks Trae Young and Dejounte Murray
Trae Young and Dejounte Murray’s combination was discussed during a press conference hosted by Hawks general manager Landry Fields to discuss the Hawks trade deadline.
When questioned if the coupling would be viable moving forward and regarding the data indicating that the pairing was not successful, Fields responded as follows:
“The sample size is getting larger and larger and larger and assuming you’re looking at specific lineups, and defensive and offensive ratings, which can always be debated as well.Â
Yeah, you’re starting to see that more and more. And yeah I can’t lie to you, the numbers speak to themselves on that. But we’re also interested in, well, let’s say they are on the court together, and based off the numbers, its not working out.Â
Why is that? What are things we can do for them in the developmental aspect to make it look more like the on/off lineups I’m assuming that you’re looking at? And ultimately that lays something out that is measurable.
Those are things now that from a development standpoint that you can look at and say ‘Ok, can you progress in those areas?’
If you can’t, then yeah, those are times like that- I’m not saying that’s exactly how it is going to happen – with any player where you have to consider the changes that everyone would then be asking and looking for at the end of the day.”
Landry Fields, to @ksugiuraajc, on whether or not the pairing of Trae and Dejounte would work out out, and on the numbers on the sample size to date not looking great: pic.twitter.com/JITPwXx9zw
— Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) February 9, 2024
Moving forward, this will be a contentious matter for the Hawks.
Although Murray was the player most frequently mentioned in trade rumors, no deal was finally reached. Whether Murray and Young are a long-term fit for the team remains to be seen.
