Dejounte Murray Trade Rumors: Hawks 'Close to' Finish Line amid Lakers, Knicks Buzz

The Atlanta Hawks, submerged in a 15-23 season, appear likely to be busy on the trade market, with guard Dejounte Murray expected to be at the center of those potential talks.

According to The Athletic's John Hollinger: "League sources say the Hawks have had continued chatter on potential Murray deals. Some will tell you they're getting close to the finish line, while others will say the Hawks are still on a fishing expedition to determine the trade value for him and other key players (such as De'Andre Hunter and Clint Capela)."

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported last week that the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons are "expected to engage Atlanta about acquiring Murray" ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

The combination of Murray and Trae Young in the team's backcourt has never quite clicked, making a change of scenery for the former a logical outcome amid the team's struggles.

Last season in 67 games and 1,607 minutes, the duo outscored opponents by just 0.3 points per 100 possessions while sharing the court, per NBA.com.

This season, they've been outscored by 4.9 points per 100 possessions while sharing the court together across 36 games and 844 minutes. The sample size isn't small at this point—the duo simply hasn't jelled as expected.

The Lakers would make a lot of sense as Murray suitors. He could serve as the team's point guard even if LeBron James would remain the primary facilitator, offering a second playmaker for the starting unit while providing a major defensive upgrade over former starting point guard D'Angelo Russell, who has recently been relegated to the second unit.

Like Atlanta, Los Angeles is struggling, just 19-21 on the season. Shaking up the pieces around James and Anthony Davis would probably be the right move at this point, and Murray's ability to space the floor (39.1 percent from three this season) and play solid defense would fit well.

The Knicks would be an interesting fit as well. Jalen Brunson handles the point guard duties for the Knicks, but a starting group of Brunson, Murray, OG Anunoby, Julius Randle and eventually Mitchell Robinson (if he is able to return from injury this season) would be ridiculous on the defensive end.

Offensively, the team could probably use more of a pure shooter to help offset the spacing issues created by running Randle and a traditional center in the starting lineup. If Murray's shooting form from this season held up as opposed to his more mediocre 34.5 percent career mark from three, however, it would be an excellent fit.

More than a few contenders should be on the phone with Atlanta regarding Murray. But it's easy to see why the Lakers and Knicks in particular might have interest.