Hawks’ Draft Joy vs. Murray Trade Pain

The Atlanta Hawks are buzzing about their first-round 2026 draft pick, Kingston Flemings—acquired from the Pelicans in a savvy trade—but the celebration is bittersweet, shadowed by the long-term fallout from their 2022 trade for Dejounte Murray. That deal, which sent Danilo Gallinari, three first-round picks, and a swap to San Antonio, has turned costly: the Spurs used one pick to land Carter Bryant, then swapped down to pick 29 in 2026 (after the Hawks’ worse record), ultimately selecting Jayden Quaintance. Murray’s fit with Trae Young never clicked, and despite his eventual trade to New Orleans, his ACL tear sidelined him. While the new front office is making smarter moves like landing Dyson Daniels, the financial and draft penalties from that Murray trade still haunt the team—proof that some deals, even if they seem smart at the time, can carry a heavy price for years to come. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/a2298df61845ae15