The NBA offseason is in full swing right now, with teams signing multiple free agents to improve their roster. Amid the swarm of free agent signings, some teams have resorted to trades to improve their roster. Perhaps one of the most significant trades this offseason has been the Atlanta Hawks trading for San Antonio Spurs guard Dejounte Murray.
Murray, who was easily the best player for the Spurs last season, is a great two-way guard who can do it all on the court. While he has had some solid seasons with the Spurs before, the 25-year-old truly flourished last season, averaging over 21 points per game and leading the league in steals per game, showcasing his defensive prowess.
Given that the Spurs are entering a rebuilding phase, it was understandable that the team traded away Dejounte for Danilo Gallinari and three first-round picks. While Murray was thankful to the Spurs since his trade, his recently deleted tweet seemed like a jab at his former team.
https://twitter.com/SpursNicky/status/1548836013195272194
Spurs fans understandably weren’t the biggest fans of the tweet and called out the guard.
These comments coming from a young kid inexperienced clearly on how things work I'm the NBA. Spurs been around a long time they know what they are doing. Be thankful kid you wouldn't be where u at now if it wasn't for spurs u said it yourself.
— Mystic PlayZ (@MysticPlayZ16) July 20, 2022
https://twitter.com/RubenCardosa1/status/1549823376738459650https://twitter.com/Donaldhausenfl2/status/1549792908282417152https://twitter.com/mikotics06/status/1549686222951432194
But it seems like Murray is seeing all the ongoing hate and recently reacted to the hate comments by Spurs fans.
Haters Should MOTIVATE You….💯
— Dejounte Murray (@DejounteMurray) July 20, 2022
But San Antonio fans have continued to pounce on the guard, calling him out for his controversial comments.
Alright buddy we throwing hands next time u in SA😤
— Matthew (@N4tureboy) July 20, 2022
you need to have a little gratitude for the franchise that as you say saved your life
— paulo (@lemosffc) July 20, 2022
I understand the reply to the fake fan, but don’t be negative towards an organization that gave you the path to success.
— Ceas (@CeasarTheGlove) July 20, 2022
No dj acting like a kid that finally got loose in a candy store. Spurs branded him and made him. Yea he Bay have not like the process but it’s always about some process. Kid young and don’t understand. It’s called maturity when he does. Everyone goes thru it. Now we wait…..
— Tex@$ G@mer (@blozanojr) July 20, 2022
https://twitter.com/NBA2K_EDIT/status/1549686651508895746
The Spurs fans are understandably frustrated with the comments made by Dejounte. Given that it was Gregg Popovich and the Spurs who really took a chance on him and honed him to become an All-Star, seeing a homegrown star like Murray make such comments is frustrating. While the trade seemed like a happy farewell initially, it seems like the things have gone south.
While the whole debacle might not end, it will be interesting to see Murray play alongside a ball-dominant guard like Trae Young in the Atlanta Hawks. Given that Young is one of the best upcoming talents in the league, there is no doubt that ‘Ice-Trae’ will be the go-to man for the Hawks.
Given that Dejounte was also the number one option for the Spurs, can the guard really fit with Trae Young and accept a more off-the-ball role?
