The Hawks have made their first move in free agency, locking down Dejounte Murray for a four-year extension. Many fans feared that the Hawks would have to cave in and give Murray a max contract extension and preferred to ship him off, but Murray was loyal enough to Atlanta and opted for a reasonable contract extension.

How’s the Value?

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This deal is excellent value for the Hawks. $30M a year is not enough to break the Hawk’s bank, and the contract can be moveable if the Hawks decide it will not work out with Murray. Comparing Murray’s contract to other players around the NBA, Fred VanVleet recently signed with the Rockets on a 3-year, $130M deal. VanVleet earns around $43M a year, $13M more than Murray, but is only under contract for one less year. Another contract that the Hawks are familiar with is John Collin’s contract, which is a 5-year $125M deal. Collins is making $5M less than Murray yearly, at $25M a year, and he is under contract for three more years with the Jazz. Murray is better than both players, and most notable free agents are currently unavailable, so the Hawks used their money well in investing in Murray.

Current Roster Construction

With the re-signing of Murray, the Hawks look to run it back with nearly the same squad from last year. Many people did not see the Hawks going far and thought the fit with Murray and Trae could have been better. They are both ball-dominant point guards, and playing them next to each other did not benefit the Hawks outright. I am also skeptical about the fit, but we have yet to see this squad with a full year under Coach Snyder. I trust Snyder to make this awkward fit with Murray and Trae to bring out the best of their skill sets and make them coexist.

Regardless of the noise, the Hawks look to run it back with Murray as one of the headliners for the Hawks.