The New York Knicks have established themselves as a mid-tier team in the Eastern Conference, but they need additional starpower in order to take the next step. One potential option is Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, whom prominent members of the front office see as an ideal fit, according to Ian Begley.
Of course, any deal for Murray would first require the Hawks to decide that they're done with the Murray-Trae Young experiment, which is not even two full seasons old at this point. While the Hawks are languishing in 11th place in the Eastern Conference at 12-17, they aren't going to take any potential deal for Murray lightly, especially after giving up three first-round picks and a pick swap to get him.
Per Begley, the Hawks have been receptive to trade offers, while Michael Scotto added that the Knicks have expressed interest in Murray. The extent of the conversations between the teams is unclear, though it appears there has at least been some form of communication. With their cadre of young players and picks, the Knicks would have the type of package that could entice the Hawks.
But even if it eventually got to a point where the Hawks decided they wanted to trade Murray to the Knicks, there would be another potential hurdle. Murray's agent is the extremely powerful Rich Paul, who runs Klutch Sports Group. During the summer, the New York Daily News reported that Zach LaVine's camp would not be interested in a trade to the Knicks. LaVine is repped by Paul and Klutch. Per Begley, Paul remains reluctant to do business with the Knicks, whose front office is led by former CAA agents Leon Rose and William Wesley.
All told, it's probably unlikely that Murray will wind up in New York, but it's something to keep an eye on. In any case, the Murray rumors are further proof of the Knicks' intent to bolster their roster. In addition to needing another perimeter scorer, the team could also use help in the frontcourt following Mitchell Robinson's season-ending ankle surgery.
Following their loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, the Knicks sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference at 16-12. They are 0-6 against the East's top two teams, the Boston Celtics and Bucks, however, and 16-6 against everyone else, which emphasizes their need for more talent.
The Knicks will have another chance against the Bucks on Christmas Day. Those two teams will tip off the day's action at noon ET.
