Nets Trading Spencer Dinwiddie in Dejounte Murray Deal Reportedly Gaining Steam
By Cem Yolbulan
The Dejounte Murray sweepstakes is in full swing as the Atlanta Hawks are looking to offload their All-Star guard and the teams around the NBA are trying to upgrade ahead of the February 7 trade deadline. One of the playoff-hopeful teams that are reportedly interested in Murray's services is the Brooklyn Nets.
According to Mike Scotto of HoopsHype, the Nets and the Hawks are talking about a potential deal involving Spencer Dinwiddie in exchange for Murray.
The Nets are shying away from Atlanta’s asking price of two first-round picks for Dejounte Murray thus far, per @MikeAScotto.
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) January 18, 2024
The Hawks don't want to take back salary beyond this season, which has been a sticking point with the Lakers. Brooklyn has Spencer Dinwiddie's expiring.
Nets Rumors: Dinwiddie May Be Gone In Potential Dejounte Murray Trade
Brooklyn has been reeling over the past several weeks, falling to 16-24 and the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference. They will likely make moves ahead of the trade deadline since they owe their first-round draft pick to the Houston Rockets anyway. It behooves them to be as competitive as possible this season.
The most obvious trade candidate on the team is Spencer Dinwiddie. The 30-year-old point guard is having one of the worst seasons of his career as he is shooting 39.1% from the field. His expiring deal could be enticing to teams trying to get additional cap flexibility in the offseason.
The Hawks, on the other hand, are looking for at least two first-round picks for Murray. Dinwiddie could be the matching salary in a potential deal, but the Nets are reportedly "shying away from Atlanta's asking price", according to Scotto.
Even though Murray would be a welcome addition to the Nets, whether it makes sense for Brooklyn to send out even more draft picks than they already have is a different question, especially in a deal that doesn't sufficiently move the needle.
Dinwiddie's time in Brooklyn is likely coming to an end but what kind of return he will be able to bring back remains to be seen.
The Nets are currently +130 to make the Play-In Tournament in the East. Considering that they will make moves to upgrade their roster, they seem like a good bet to do so.
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