I don't think folks have ton of issue with understanding the logic of trading away a player to get assets back. I think some people might take issue with the idea that one of (and perhaps even the most important of) those assets being increased lottery odds. I know I'd be ecstatic if guys stepped up in the wake of a Murray trade to let the Spurs being a play-in team once again. I think looking at the last three years and thinking it's a sign the team has been stuck is superficial. The first year, the team was leveraged toward older players (I think that was the year of the failed Carroll trade, to put into perspective what the team's priorities were and bad, with the bubble being the only saving grace. The second year, the team had started to feature more younger players but still had older guys in prominent positions. This past year was almost exclusively young guys. So the team has remained within a standard deviation of average because the quality of their youth has increased. That to me is progress, and I don't think it would take a grand trade to move the Spurs into the 5-7 range in the conference -- it would just take an aggressive one.
That's why avoiding Collins in a potential Atlanta trade isn't really a plus for me. If the team gets him, the goal should be to either use him or get the most trade value for him. That might not be an immediate thing. It might entail a year or two on the club to find the right leverage. In the meantime, guys like Primo and Branham can develop with the guy who graded out as the best PnR roll man in the league. If the Spurs' actual path to development is for someone like Primo to met the lofty expectations set for him, then getting him a partner who will enhance rather than conflict with him makes the most sense possible.
I think making a trade with the assumption that getting a guaranteed lotto pick for 2023 is untenable. I can't think of a single team that would pursue Murray that would do that. Any team that wants him is good enough to not convey good if any lotto odds after adding him. Very few teams own the unprotected 2023 picks of other clubs. I think it might just be Brooklyn, Houston, OKC and Houston. Anyone else is giving you a protected pick or a pick en bered by Murray's addition. If the goal is to increase 2023 odds, it's not looking good. They'd have much better odds if they take future unprotected picks and punt on the 2023 NBA draft. Even if those picks end up conveying ala OKC and NOP this year, you can argue that simply having lesser immediate value would have been the superior play.
Unfortunately, the Spurs can extend Murray this season due to them dragging their feet four years ago. His anniversary is after the start to next season, so he has to wait until the next year. That ruins the idea of renegotiating and extending his contract as a way to save long-term money. It takes some security out of keeping him, though I guess it also frees up cap space from even the thought of saving it. I don't think the win-now trade is on the horizon. I think they're another year of asset acquisition/development from putting together a legit superstar package that doesn't hamper the team. I really hope they intend to take to Lavine and look into acquiring Collins or another PF. I'd prefer for them to be opportunistic buyers than sellers right now.