Report: Spurs listening to trade offers for Dejounte Murray, asking for a lot in return

It’s been a busy Draft Day eve in the NBA. The Trail Blazers traded for Jerami Grant and might not be done dealing, while rumors about other potential transactions swirl around as teams get ready for what could be a chaotic Thursday.

One of those new rumors involves the Spurs, and it’s a big one. San Antonio is apparently listening to calls about a potential Dejounte Murray trade, but their asking prize seems to be high, according to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer:

The Spurs are fielding offers for Murray and have told multiple interested teams it would take a “Jrue Holiday-like package” for San Antonio to part with the 25-year-old floor general, setting a rough benchmark of three first-round picks for any suitor to pry Murray free.

There is a lot to unpack in that one sentence. First of all, it seems like the Spurs are just doing their due diligence by listening to offers, but are not shopping Murray. That’s a big distinction to make. Second, a “Jrue Holiday-like package” is a huge ask. The Pelicans got two first rounders, plus two pick swaps, as well as Eric Bledsoe and Steven Adams in that trade. Almost every player in the league would probably be available for that type of haul, so it doesn’t seem like the Spurs are particularly motivated to make a move and are only open to it if they get a king’s ransom back. A trade just doesn’t seem imminent or all that likely.

The fact that the Hawks are the team that has reportedly had the “most significant discussions” with San Antonio so far is another indication that talks have probably been simply exploratory. Atlanta has been rumored to be looking to move forward John Collins for days now, so it makes sense for them to contact Spurs general manager Brian Wright to gauge his interest. It seems like the discussions didn’t go too far, which is not surprising. While the Hawks might be intrigued about pairing Murray with Trae Young in the backcourt, it’s now clear that it will take a lot more than Collins to get it done, and they might not be willing to pull the trigger.

For the Spurs, it’s just smart to not consider anyone as untouchable at this juncture. The team missed the playoffs and while Murray became an All-Star, he doesn’t seem to be a franchise player yet. Going for a full rebuild now, after refusing to bottom out in the past, would be strange, but if the return is good enough, it could be worth it.

The biggest concern about trade talks like these becoming public from San Antonio’s perspective is that they could alienate Murray, as he sees himself be discussed as an asset, but judging by his response on Twitter, Dejounte doesn’t seem too fazed about it.

There will surely be more rumors involving the Spurs surfacing in the coming hours, and some might even include Murray. It’s just what happens at this time of the offseason. For now, however, a Murray trade seems unlikely, but shouldn’t be fully ruled out.

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