San Antonio Spurs Receive: Dejounte Murray and Royce O'Neale
San Antonio Spurs Lose: Doug McDermott, Devonte' Graham, a 2024 second-round pick, a 2025 first-round pick and a 2027 first-round pick
The Spurs have already seemingly abandoned (or at least put on hold) one experiment for the sake of Wembanyama's development.
After playing him at the 4 for much of the early portion of their schedule, they've moved Wemby to center, where he's been legitimately dominant.
Since December 8 (when Zach Collins left the starting lineup), Wembanyama has put up 20.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.9 blocks, 3.6 assists and 0.9 steals in just 26.6 minutes. That's absurd production, especially when you consider the ongoing no-point guard experiment.
On the season, he's played 420 minutes with either of Tre Jones or Graham on the floor. His true shooting percentage in those minutes is 61.1. He's played 552 minutes with both of those guards off the floor, and his true shooting percentage in those lineups is 50.5.
Bringing Murray back to increase those minutes when Wembanyama plays with a real distributor is a no-brainer. The Hawks guard averaged 9.2 assists in his last season with the Spurs. In the season and change he's been with Atlanta, he's averaging 7.6 assists per 75 possessions when Young is off the floor. He can still set up teammates and get them the ball in positions to score.
While it's too late for any kind of trade to push San Antonio toward the play-in mix, Murray is on a pretty team-friendly contract through 2027-28 (when he has a $31.6 million player option). Having him around for the next few years will boost Wembanyama's production and expedite his development.
O'Neale, meanwhile, is here largely for salary-matching purposes and the need for every team to be connected in a three-team trade, but his experience wouldn't hurt.
Of course, the number of picks involved here probably gives Spurs fans some pause, but they're still a net plus-one from the last Murray trade. Keeping Atlanta's 2025 pick (rather than their own) is sort of a bet on themselves for the Cooper Flagg draft.
If the Hawks wind up in that lottery, the Spurs would have an outside shot at adding Flagg to Wembanyama and Murray.
