Fool’s gold: Why Murray trade isn’t solution for Warriors’ issues

Fool’s gold: Why Murray trade isn’t solution for Warriors’ issues originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With Stephen Curry 36 years old and Klay Thompson a 34-year-old unrestricted free agent, the offseason is bringing a flurry of discussion about the future of the Warriors’ backcourt. With no simple avenues to getting younger and more athletic, the streets are overrun with speculation.

One anonymous Western Conference executive reportedly joined in the fun, identifying Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray as the solution.

Sounds good. On the surface.

Murray is 27. He’s 6-foot-5, with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, with the skill and talent to make many more NBA All-Star Game appearances. He would have to come via trade because he has a four-year, $110 million contract, with a player option in the final season, that runs through 2028.

Heavy.com’s veteran NBA reporter Sean Deveney reports that the executive tagged Murray as an attractive next-generation Warrior.

“Of all the guys they might be able to trade for,” the executive said to Deveney, “he is probably realistic because he does not make a ton of money. And they could add him, put him in Chris Paul’s spot, give up two first-round picks and now you’ve gotten some defense in there, you’ve got another scorer in there, you have a guy who make some sense.

“He’s 6-foot-5, he can guard three spots, he is an OK shooter, and he won’t break your bank.”

Though most of this description is fitting, within it is a myth the Warriors can’t afford to overlook. Murray’s defense has declined in successive seasons.

The Hawks finished with a 118.4 defensive rating, ranking 27th in the NBA. Only three teams – the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets and Utah Jazz – were worse. Atlanta, with a respectable 12th-place rating on offense, finished with a 36-46 record. Much of the defensive blame can be laid at the feet of a starting backcourt featuring noted non-defender Trae Young and Murray.

Young’s defense last season rated higher than that of Murray, whose 119.5 rating put him in a virtual tie with former Warrior Jordan Poole, whose inadequate defense was…


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/fools-gold-why-murray-trade-203311175.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-05-22 20:33:11

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

........,,,,,,,,||||||||||||||||||||]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]][[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[||||||||||||||||||||