Putting a bigger, more athletic star player next to Trae Young is an enticing prospect that the Hawks have yet to explore. The idea behind the Young and Murray pairing was that the two would be able to support each other in ways they couldn't support themselves. Murray was known as one of the league's best guard defenders, while the weakest part of Young's game was his defense. Murray was never an elite outside shooter and Young was one of the game's best three-point snipers. It turns out that Murray wasn't quite as good at defensively guarding bigger and more athletic players as a primary shooting guard, while Young was not quite as good at shooting the ball off the catch, with Murray creating a shot for him, as opposed to off the dribble, where Young would create a shot for himself. Ingram has improved noticeably as a defender, using his 7'3'' wingspan and 6'8'' frame to his advantage. Ingram also has experience playing off the ball, both with the Lakers, where he began his career, and later with the Pelicans, where he shot a career-high 39% from three in 2022. He wouldn't have the same issues as Murray had adjusting to a new role in Atlanta. In addition to Ingram, the Hawks would acquire Jonas Valuncuinas, a seasoned veteran who would provide some versatility and depth in the frontcourt. As well as provide excellent post-scoring that the Pelicans didn't exactly need next to Zion, but that Atlanta could maximize with their roster.
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Why the trade makes sense
For New Orleans, this trade would bring them arguably their biggest change in the Zion Williamson era. Ingram has been teammates with Williamson throughout Zion's entire NBA career, dating back to 2020. The two haven't achieved much playoff success together in large part because of injuries, particularly to Zion, who has always struggled to stay healthy. Williamson is currently out with a hamstring injury he suffered late in a play-in loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. New Orleans lost to the No. 1 seed OKC Thunder, and Williamson didn't see the court before the Pelicans season reached its end. Ingram was mediocre in the series, averaging only 14.3 points while shooting a poor 34.5% from the field. As a result of his performance, his future with the Pelicans remains unclear. He is only under contract for one more season before entering unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2025. With Williamson, C.J. McCollum, and more likely than not Trey Murphy soon to be near the top of the payroll, New Orleans may not want to pay the hefty price that will be Ingram's new contract. Clint Capela would fit the mold as a primary rim protector who would still provide rim running and paint points on the offensive end. More importantly, the Pelicans would acquire Dejounte Murray, who would likely be a cheaper player than Ingram, with his four-year $114 million contract set to kick in next season, and perhaps a better fit, providing more playmaking at the point guard position. Before heading to Atlanta and playing next to Young, Murray averaged nine assists in San Antonio, and he was considered one of the best passers in the league. Imagine he got similar usage in New Orleans but with Zion Williamson to pass to. Of course, McCollum would still be there, and similar to Young, he lacks size, making for a rather small backcourt between him and Murray. This could cause problems defensively but on offense, it would be a much better fit, as McCollum is not nearly as ball dominant as Young and would allow Murray to create his own offense more often than not.
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Overall, this trade wouldn't fix all of the Hawks' problems, but it would be a big step forward in an offseason that is clouded with doubt. For New Orleans, this trade would also provide a huge change on the court as well as more optionality for the front office.