Rumor: The Spurs Might Trade White or Murray
The San Antonio Spurs could pursue trade for Dejounte Murray or Derrick White (Photo via MySantonio)
The rumor mill is busy these days with a recent report that the Spurs might trade Derrick White or Dejounte Murray. You are probably wondering how likely this rumor is to hold any weight, and likely have your own thoughts about whether this is a route the Spurs should consider. Let’s take a closer look at this possibility and what it might mean for the team.
The Origin of the Rumor that the Spurs Might Trade White or Murray
This conversation about Murray and White started with a post on The Athletic’s twitter feed, which you can view below:
The text says, “Dejounte Murray and Derrick White could both be gettable from the Spurs, sources tell @talkhoops, making them a team to keep an eye on around the draft.” It includes a link to Zach Harper’s NBA Mock Draft 2.0 at The Athletic.
Should the Spurs Trade Murray or White?
Murray and White are both important players for the Spurs. If they were to trade them, there would need to be a pretty hefty payoff for doing so. That payoff might take the form of a player that will be the right fit for the team. But it could also be that their end goal here is to try and get another draft pick.
At present, Murray’s contract runs through 2023-2024. Last season, his averages were 7.1 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 15.7 points in each game. White struggled a bit last season because of injuries. But setting aside the issues with the injuries, he brings a lot to the Spurs’ defense, which, frankly, is an area where we always can use improvements.
There are arguments for and against the likelihood of the Spurs trading either or both of these players. The team is reportedly interested in trading for Atlanta forward John Collins, who is in very high demand. The Spurs don’t really stand much chance in grabbing such a high-value player without making sacrifices.
On the other hand, the team has invested a lot into White and Murray, and it doesn’t seem like Pop would be too keen to part with either of them. Both still offer considerable value to the team right where they are.
Personally, I think that Dejounte in particular is worth hanging onto, as he is easily our most talented guard. Not only that, but we saw him make great improvements last season. I feel like trading him off now, we would be missing out on even more great evolution from him next year. We also would weaken our core with a significant shake-up when we should be building on what we have.
What about White? Frankly, White is a solid player who just had a bad run last season with respect to injuries. I see no reason he shouldn’t be back in form next season. And again, we really need his skills as a defender. But would I be open to trading him if the right opportunity came along? Probably.
How Likely is it that the Spurs Trade White or Murray?
Let’s consider again exactly what The Athletic said about Murray and White: “Dejounte Murray and Derrick White could both be gettable from the Spurs.” To be honest, this statement doesn’t really say much. It basically just says, “If a trade comes along that offers sufficient value, the Spurs will consider trading these players.”
When you think about it, that is pretty obvious. A sufficiently tempting opportunity would be enough to part the Spurs with White and Murray. But does that mean that we should expect that opportunity? Not necessarily.
Right now, all of this is just rumor, and vague rumor at that. Not only that, but if you think back to previous seasons, conversations like this always come up around this time. That is just how it goes.
So, if you are attached to Murray and White, I would not say that there is any particular huge reason to be concerned about the Spurs trading them. But it is not a possibility that you should dismiss, either. But then, that was already the case before The Athletic said anything about it. I am guessing that nothing has changed since before the tweet came out. It is just something to talk about as we all wait to find out what happens next.