Dejounte Murray is heading to the Big Easy, and since he's a big name and former All-Star on the move, his acquisition by the New Orleans Pelicans has done a great deal towards improving their 2025 NBA championship odds for the time being.
The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly sending Murray to the Pelicans in exchange for Larry Nance Jr., Dyson Daniels, a 2025 first-round draft pick courtesy of the Los Angeles Lakers, and the least favorable 2027 first-round pick from either New Orleans or the Milwaukee Bucks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
🚨DEJOUNTE MURRAY➡️NEW ORLEANS PELICANS🚨
— Odds Shark (@OddsShark) June 28, 2024
The Hawks receive:
- Larry Nance Jr.
- Dyson Daniels
- 2025 & 2027 1st Rounders
Who won this deal?🤔⬇️ pic.twitter.com/sd0NH1tj5v
Murray played 78 games for Atlanta during the 2023-24 campaign, averaging a career-best 22.5 points along with 5.3 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.4 steals. He also converted a career-high 201 shots from behind the arc, which was 68 more than what he made the season prior.
As a result of this trade, the Pelicans' title odds have risen from 50-to-1 to now 35-to-1, while the Hawks - who were never viewed as a viable contender in the first place - have seen their odds sink even further.
(Related Link) NBA Championship Odds 2025: Boston Celtics Favored To Repeat
Updated 2024-25 NBA Championship Odds
| Team | Odds Prior To Trade | Odds After Trade |
|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Pelicans | +5000 | +3500 |
| Atlanta Hawks | +10000 | +30000 |
Who Won The Trade? New Orleans Pelicans Or Atlanta Hawks?
The Pelicans have needed someone to pair with CJ McCollum in its starting backcourt for a while, with this move now allowing McCollum to slot into his more natural shooting guard spot while Murray can run the offense at point guard which he was more accustomed to doing during his days with the San Antonio Spurs.
Time will tell whether or not Brandon Ingram has a future with the organization, and if he doesn't, New Orleans can flip him for assets and have someone with All-Star intangibles still around with McCollum and Zion Williamson in Murray. Both he and Most Valuable Player winner Nikola Jokic were the only players across the Association to finish with 1,500 total points, 500 assists, and 100 steals.
Murray is the only player to register at least 100 steals in each of the last five seasons, as well, so joining the league's sixth-ranked defense with his size and wingspan at his position will only bolster that unit even further alongside other elite defenders like Herb Jones. He's also an exceptional closer with the fifth-most clutch shots made in the NBA last season with 40, and New Orleans needs a world of help in that department after going 0-22 in games when trailing heading into the fourth quarter.
The pair of first rounders provides the Hawks more tools to play with, whether it's adding through the draft or moving those picks out again to improve the depth chart. We'll likely know at some point this summer what direction the franchise wants to head in depending on what becomes of superstar guard Trae Young, who's locked in through the 2026-27 season but has been rumored to being shopped.
Atlanta just selected Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher first overall with the No. 1 overall pick, and his role will be expanded barring the Hawks adding more pieces this offseason to surround Young with should he still be around. Nance Jr. and Daniels are fine role players, with the former on an expiring contract of $11.2 million. Whether it's entering a full-blown rebuild or make one final gutsy effort of rising the ranks in the Eastern Conference, the Hawks at least have options.
