On Wednesday night, the Atlanta Hawks found themselves in a dogfight against an Orlando Magic team that has surpassed expectations to this point of the campaign. With the game hanging in the balance, it was Dejounte Murray who came in clutch for the Hawks amid his prominent involvement in trade rumors. Murray, after Paolo Banchero made a triple to tie the game at 104, took the ball the length of the court and made a difficult midrange pullup over the outstretched arms of Markelle Fultz.

This, however, almost didn't come to fruition if Hawks head coach Quin Snyder had his way. After all, Trae Young revealed in his presser following Atlanta's 106-104 win over the Magic that Snyder was trying to call a timeout to draw up a play instead of letting it play out the way it did.

According to Kevin Chouinard of Hawks.com, Snyder was jumping on the bench and motioning for a timeout when Dejounte Murray inbounded the ball to Jalen Johnson. But as Young put it, the referees simply did not see or hear him. Snyder then proceeded to let it play out instead of forcing a timeout, much to Atlanta's benefit.

Snyder said after the contest, per Brad Rowland of Locked On Hawks, that there's always a “debate” on whether or not head coaches should let the game play out during those circumstances or whether it would be best for them to advance the ball and draw up a play. Nonetheless, it all worked out after Dejounte Murray “rewarded” the team's confidence in not calling the timeout.

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Matt Guzman ·

Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray appearing at an airport with bags packed and a plane ticket in hand

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Trent Forrest in an Atlanta Hawks jersey with the Hawks arena in the background

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Still, it's up to Murray's heroics that the Hawks were able to turn lemons into lemonade. After all, the Hawks guard didn't exactly get what one would call a good look. Markelle Fultz was draped all over Murray, but good offense always beats good defense.

If Murray's time with the Hawks is indeed coming to an end as his involvement in trade talks would indicate, then what a closing chapter it would be for him. His addition may not have worked out as well as Atlanta had hoped, but it's plays like these that remind Hawks fans that trading for him was always a worthwhile gamble.