Hawks quitting on Dejounte reveals full value of Spurs' controversial trade

When the San Antonio Spurs traded Dejounte Murray, fans were emotional. There was a mix of anger, frustration, sadness and confusion among the faithful. It was understandable. Murray had built himself into an all-star, all-defensive player who had to overcome a myriad of tough circumstances to stand where he stood. The Spurs helped, but Murray showed resolve, and everyone was extremely proud to see him in silver and black colors.

It wasn't until after the trade that the fan base turned against him, though it was his own doing. His comments in response to fans expressing their angst over his departure were unnecessary and childish. It revealed a lack of maturity despite his growth in so many other areas.

Fast forward to the present, and his name was being floated as a potential trade piece the Spurs may be interested in reacquiring. However, that is no longer a possibility since the Atlanta Hawks just traded him to the Pelicans, and the Spurs fans who never forgave his words couldn't be happier.

The Spurs-Hawks trade looks better for San Antonio than ever

Timing is everything and Brian Wright looks like Cronos, the Greek God of Time, in the flesh. Murray wasn't about to lead that iteration of the Spurs to a championship and that wasn't hard to see. Point guards don't generally lead teams to the Promised Land. The last time the point guard was the clear-cut best player on a championship team before Steph Curry was Isaiah Thomas on the Bad Boys Pistons.

It allowed the Spurs to bottom out—after the Derrick White trade that followed soon after—to get Victor Wembanyama. As a result, the Spurs' future looks brighter than ever. The fans are buzzing with excitement constantly, and you have guys openly campaigning to come to Alamo City and join the generational French phenomenon.

Meanwhile, the Hawks are calling it quits just a couple of years after the deal, and blowing up their entire roster. San Antonio has some of the best draft capital in the league in their back pocket as a result of their ingenuity, and things are looking up. Wright has come under fire from many of the diehards who are desperate for the Spurs to return to their winning ways, but this is just another example of smart dealings with a keen eye on the future.

Fans will still want to see it turn into something special soon, but the front office can't operate based on the patience of the fans. They have a reputation for doing things the right way, and they continue to do that even when observers don't see the vision.