While the Atlanta Hawks and the Minnesota Timberwolves improved significantly with the additions of Dejounte Murray and Rudy Gobert, respectively, a lot of NBA execs don't seem to be too convinced about their moves.
After all, the two teams basically sacrificed a massive part of their future for a chance to win now. According to Zach Lowe of ESPN, front-office executives around the NBA described the deals as “reckless” as it did not put future plans into consideration.
But there is always risk, no matter how great the players involved. Several front-office executives around the league used a word beyond “risk” to describe the recent Atlanta and Minnesota deals: reckless.
For what it's worth, NBA execs certainly have a valid reason to be concerned. Sure, it's understandable that teams want to win as soon as they can since there isn't a lot of opportunity to do so. Not to mention there is no assurance they can compete in the future with the players they will get. However, giving up a ton of valuable picks indeed seem to be a bit too much, especially with rookie contracts becoming easier to manage.
For one, the Timberwolves gave up four first-round picks and a pick swap in their trade for Rudy Gobert from the Utah Jazz. That means they won't have their first-round pick in four of the next seven drafts, with Utah even getting the right to swap their selection in 2026.
The Hawks also parted ways with several picks for Dejounte Murray, sending three first-rounders and a pick swap. It's definitely hefty price tag for a player that could end up leaving the San Antonio Spurs in the first place.
Only a championship will redeem the trade that the Hawks and Timberwolves made. If they can't win the NBA title with the talent they have, then it could result to years of struggles for the team once again.
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