The Atlanta Hawks are 13-19 to begin the New Year, only further away from making good on a surprise run to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals than before the regular season tipped off. After replacing Nate McMillan on the sidelines with Quin Snyder midway through a disappointing 2022-23 campaign, could more major structural changes be looming for Atlanta leading to the February 8th trade deadline?

Moving Dejounte Murray is Atlanta's most likely such move, and a pair of potential trade partners have emerged as betting favorites to land him. The Los Angeles Lakers have -115 odds to trade for Murray before the deadline comes and goes, according to Bovada sportsbook, easily the highest among his prospective suitors. The New York Knicks, on the heels of sapping their backcourt depth to acquire OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors, come in next with +105 odds. No other team has better than +950 odds to trade for Murray prior to February 8th.

Should Hawks trade Dejounte Murray before deadline?

Hawks' Dejounte Murray

The Hawks held high expectations entering 2023-24, with their first full season under Snyder and expected internal improvement from multiple young incumbents making them a sexy pick for a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference. Despite dynamic forward Jalen Johnson establishing himself as a nightly game-changer and foundational building block, though, Atlanta has failed to prove its case as even a worthwhile playoff threat, entering Wednesday's matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder at 11th place in the standings.

While Murray is hardly the cause of all the Hawks' problems, Snyder's inability to help him better coexist in the backcourt alongside franchise player Trae Young makes him more expendable than ever. Don't forget that Murray signed a four-year, $120 million extension with Atlanta last summer, either. With no realistic path toward contention going forward for a core built around him and Young, it makes sense the Hawks would trade Murray while his new contract—which only first kicks in next season—is still broadly considered slightly positive or neutral salary cap value.

However, the same issues that have prevented Murray from finding a long-term home in Atlanta wouldn't vanish with the Lakers or Knicks. Los Angeles needs more shooting from its starting point guard than Murray has ever been able to provide, and New York coach Tom Thibodeau's appetite for a small backcourt featuring him and Jalen Brunson is no doubt minimal. Both teams are wary of adding long-term salary to their books, too.

Still, the writing is on the wall for Murray's tenure with the Hawks. Whether with the Lakers, Knicks or elsewhere, don't be surprised if Murray isn't playing in Atlanta after the trade deadline comes and goes in a few weeks.