SAN ANTONIO — Dejounte Murray has presence. People took notice. He's "cool is the rule." He can command the room. He's under control. He's engaged when having conversation. And he can play some NBA basketball.
He was the Spurs budding superstar. But that’s now all part of San Antonio Spurs history.
After news broke that he'll be heading to Atlanta in exchange for a pick-heavy package, Murray expressed his love for the city and fans.
So let’s take some stock in light of this not surprising, but still shocking NBA news of the day.
The cost? Hefty. The return? Time will tell. He was probably the most popular player amongst the fan base the last couple of years. Silver and Black faithful showed up at the AT&T Center Wednesday night to grab DJ bobbleheads that were still in inventory. He’ll be cheered, unlike Kawhi, for the lone appearance the Hawks make in San Antonio this coming regular season.
There were reports Wednesday night via ESPN that DJ told the Spurs he wanted out in recent weeks. To me that’s the ‘duh’ line of the week if, in fact, true. Does this surprise anybody? They’d been shopping him for the last week, apparently, as Bleacher Report first reported.
NBA Championships are won by super stars, and right now the Spurs have exactly none. They wanna find that next one. I recall years ago toward the end of Tim’s career then General Manager R.C. Buford telling the assembled media on draft night, "I’d love to find the next Tim Duncan." Once again, NBA titles are won by superstars. That’s not really up for debate.
- 2022/Golden State Warriors/Stephen Curry
- 2021/Milwaukee Bucks/Giannis Antetokounmpo
- 2020/Los Angeles Lakers/Lebron James
- 2019/Toronto Raptors/Kawhi Leonard
- 2018/Golden State Warriors/Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant
- 2017/Golden State Warriors/Stephen Curry/Kevin Durant
- 2016/Cleveland Cavaliers/Lebron James
- 2015/Golden State Warriors/Stephen Curry
- 2014/San Antonio Spurs/Tim Duncan/Tony Parker/Kawhi Leonard
Might they have some working toward that label? Maybe. Time will always tell on that.
Trading Murray is in no way leveraging the future, but rather an attempt to build the future. I’ve seen countless examples of the term ‘rebuild’, and sure teams with dynasty type success can always claim that, but essentially every team at every level is always trying to build for the future, immediate and distant.
That’s the way it works in athletics. The haul, if you will, in return for Murray’s ATL services is spread between now and the 2027 draft. He’s not the first of his caliber to get a new zip code in the NBA summer months, and he’ll certainly not be the last.
The Spurs just drafted three teenagers, as crazy as that sounds. Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell appear to have rising stock. San Antonio also improved draft capital several times over into the years ahead.
The Spurs organization has earned some benefit of the doubt over the past few decades, and ‘In Pop We Trust’ gets a lot of use from the San Antonio faithful. That faith may be tested in the team's next few chapters, and hopefully it will be rewarded in time.