The biggest or most impactful player linked to the Los Angeles Lakers this trade season has been Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray. He was an All-Star two seasons ago, and some feel he would be somewhat of an upgrade over D’Angelo Russell.
Russell is the one main trade chip in terms of a player the Lakers could trade to get someone of value back, or at least the only valuable player they’re willing to trade. Atlanta reportedly asked for Austin Reaves, whom the Lakers don’t want to trade, and they countered with Russell, which reportedly led to trade talks stalling since Atlanta doesn’t want Russell.
NBA reporter Brian Windhorst said on the “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective” podcast that talks between the two teams have been “pretty cold” from what he’s heard (h/t Lakers Nation).
“I think the Lakers-Hawks talks have been, I don’t have the up-to-the-second thing, but I think they’ve been pretty cold. Does not mean they cannot restart quickly, but I don’t think that was something that was, at least of the last 24-48 hours, that I heard much about. So we’ll see what happens there.”
It’s perhaps looking increasingly likely that L.A. will stand pat at the deadline. Some feel its best bet would be to make a big move this summer when it will be allowed to trade multiple future first-round draft picks. The team can only offer its 2029 first-rounder prior to the deadline.
The deadline will arrive at 3 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, which is just hours before the Lakers host the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets.
