3 Questions the stunning Spurs-Dejounte interest rumor immediately raises

The NBA resets from zero days without being dramatic to zero days without being dramatic. Yesterday's drama was around Draymond Green and the revelation he considered retiring (not sure about that one), and today, reports from Shams Charania indicate the San Antonio Spurs are potentially interested in a reunion with their 2016 first-round pick, Dejounte Murray.

Despite the way the relationship ended the first time, DJ should be considered a Spurs success story. He was the 29th pick in that draft and turned himself into one of the best defenders on the perimeter in the NBA.

He developed his jumper into a true threat, and his ability to operate out of the pick-and-roll is elite. San Antonio personnel pride themselves on being thorough and operating with intelligence, not feelings, but questions about what a potential reunion looks like need to be answered.

3. What would the Spurs have to give up?

Fans have been consistent in their interest in gathering picks in any potential deals San Antonio made, but this is the other side of the coin. Part of the reason for gathering the abundance of picks the Spurs have is also about dealing them for the right player. It is difficult to hit on pick after pick in the NBA draft. That said, Atlanta may ask for a couple of firsts, including the return of the 2025 pick they gave San Antonio in the first Dejounte deal.

Some players have the hype but flame out, some introduce you to their representative while housing a different person underneath, injuries occur, etc. There are a million reasons a draft pick does not work out, so when you can bring in an established player, you do it, as long as it makes sense.

Any deal for Dejounte Murray would most likely start with Keldon Johnson. Atlanta would probably hang up the phone if the Spurs tried to play games by not including KJ. The Hawks reportedly want to keep Trae Young, meaning they want to retool, not rebuild, so Johnson will need to be partnered with some combination of Cedi Osman, Doug McDermott, Julian Champagnie, or even Dominick Barlow. If a deal gets done, be prepared to say goodbye to a couple of fan favorites for the greater good.

2. How would fans react to a Dejounte Murray return (and does it matter)?

There is never only one side to any issue. There are way too many people in the world with different ideals, morals, opinions, and feelings. This is why you can rarely get a large number of people to agree 100% on any particular issue. But Coach Pop and the Spurs front office cannot operate based on the feelings of the fans.

What is best for the young players on the roster and their development is key. That is the only thing that matters. The truth is that if Dejounte Murray comes back as a stand-up citizen and helps San Antonio win games, the detractors will likely fall in line, as winning often cures all. As a fan base used to winning, the losing has made fans desperate to return to the glory days and if DJ can assist in a 210 resurgence, it seems there are already plenty of people on board.

It seems like a no-brainer to many. The thought of watching Dejounte Murray run pick and rolls with Victor Wembanyama is hard to say no to. The players on the roster have struggled to get the ball to Wemby with consistency; Murray would have no such issue. Some fans have even already put on their GM hats in an attempt to assist Brian Wright with his job.

It's safe to say that the move would be polarizing but will certainly generate a ton of positive buzz among the Silver and Black Nation.

3. How would he fit into San Antonio's long-term plans?

In a word, perfectly. The team is lacking veterans with attitude. Not the type of attitude that gets a player in trouble, but Dejounte was never a troublemaker as a 210 resident. He played with determination and a disregard for losing. Making key steals and blocking bigs from the guard position, he plays the margins where winning is accomplished.

When you look at a box score and you cannot figure out how a team won or lost a game, that's how. Timing can be everything in professional basketball. A player may have gotten two steals but if they were in the first quarter and nobody disrupted the opposing offense in crunchtime, leading to a loss, those two early steals weren't very impactful. DJ has made a habit in the past of making crucial plays in the waning moments of games to solidify victory, a facet this team has been missing.

He is only 27 years old but has played in the playoffs, suffered a season-ending injury, and gone through some losing. Murray has made an All-Star team. He's played as the best player on a team, and he's taken a back seat before. His experience will help the young players on the team while still being in the beginning of his prime, allowing a long relationship.

Every single young player on this roster benefits from an experienced point guard. There is no reason why, in a couple of years, the Silver and Black can not be standing atop the Western Conference with Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and Dejounte Murray standing together.