Ranking the San Antonio Spurs’ top 7 trade assets for 2023–24

#2: Atlanta's first-round picks

I was admittedly irritated when the Spurs traded Dejounte Murray, mostly because I wasn't a fan of the return. Nearly a year later, the trade looks completely different. The Hawks weren't substantially better with Murray, and Trae Young appears to have worn on their franchise. So much so that they are open to trading this summer. If that is the case, then Murray could soon follow as they look to recoup the assets—a 2025 and 2027 unprotected first-round pick and a 2026 pick swap—they lost in the Murray trade plus some.

If that were the case, then it would dramatically increase the value of those three Hawks picks. After all, if they were to receive five firsts in return for Young and Murray, they would be far worse, and since those picks are unprotected, then they have no incentive to win enough games to keep those selections from conveying to the Spurs. Instead, they would simply use the assets they get back for their two stars to try and rebuild. If they finish with, say, the 6th, 8th, and 11th worst records in those years, then so be it.

Now that the Spurs have their superstar in hand, they may not need to bank on those picks as much as they once did and could trade them if the right player comes along. Then again, the 2027 pick is far enough out that they may want to hold on to that selection to see if they can add a lottery pick when they are hopefully back in title contention. Either way, that trio of Hawks picks are among the best the Spurs, or any team has in their arsenal.