3 Reasons Hawks' desperate trade will be massive for the Spurs

3. The NBA’s trade market seems to be settling down

This one is a twofer. First, if negotiations begin aligning more closely with the John Collins and Bradley Beal trades of this offseason rather than the Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and Murray trades of the previous one, the Spurs’ return for Dejounte will look like a landslide victory.

Maybe Murray signs an extension with the Hawks, earns another All-Star appearance, and makes a few All-Defensive teams. In today’s market, that player might be the second or third-best piece on a good playoff team. Someone like that is not worth three first-rounders (and an additional protected first from Charlotte that may or may not convey). 

We’ll see what Portland’s return is for Damian Lillard if and when he’s moved, but is probably safe to assume it will be pretty close to what Pop and the front office got for Murray. Dame is a significantly better basketball player than Dejounte. Controversial take, I know.

And second, when the Spurs start winning and decide to package their assets for a second star to pair with Wemby, maybe the trade return isn’t as high as it would’ve been in years past. The fact the NBA trade market may be settling back down means historical asking prices might aid the good guys in future discussions.

Though a win-now move probably isn’t in the cards for a couple of seasons (something that general manager Brian Wright has essentially confirmed), it’s still nice to know! Eventually, big-name players are going to want to play next to the French phenom. Hopefully this means the Spurs won’t have to tear down the rest of the roster to acquire a co-star.