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The Knicks see Dejounte Murray as an ideal trade target, but there's a catch with Rich Paul

ian begley
·4 min read
16

The Knicks have almost no margin for error right now. Mitchell Robinson is out, possibly for the season. Jericho Sims is sidelined for at least another week. If Isaiah Hartenstein gets in foul trouble -- as he did early on Saturday against Milwaukee -- the Knicks need to essentially play mistake-free basketball to compete.

Will their injury issues force them to make a trade? That's unknown.

Their first move after the Robinson injury was to sign veteran Taj Gibson. Next, they inked Westchester Knicks big man Dmytro Skapintsev to a two-way contract.

If you use Saturday’s loss to Milwaukee as a barometer, the Knicks clearly need more help on the front line.

They have enough draft capital, young talent and salary filler to trade for an impactful big man. New York has the rights to nine first-round picks over the next five drafts. The club also owns Detroit's 2024 second-round pick, which will be in the low 30s. So the Knicks can make an offer for, say, Utah's Kelly Olynyk or Sacramento's Alex Len, without putting a dent in their trade assets.

They also have their eyes on bolstering other positions, including the backcourt. Some prominent members of the organization see Atlanta's Dejounte Murray as an ideal trade target. New York had interest in trading for Murray in the 2022 offseason. At that point, Murray was viewed by some as a great fit with lead guard Jalen Brunson.

Nov 2, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Spurs traded Murray to Atlanta, which was reportedly his preferred destination. The Hawks sent the Spurs three first-round picks and a pick swap in the deal. Murray averaged 20 points, six assists, five rebounds and 1.5 steals in his first season in Atlanta.

Would the Hawks move Murray a little more than 18 months after acquiring him?

Teams say that Atlanta has been receptive to trade offers this season, the first full year for head coach Quinn Snyder. Hoopshype earlier reported that the Knicks are among the teams who expressed exploratory trade interest in Murray.

Moving Murray would be a seismic shift for Atlanta. And it would surely require several first-round picks and young, ascending players.

The Knicks can put that kind of package together. But for New York, there is an additional hurdle in a potential Murray trade.

Murray is represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports Group. The New York Daily News reported in 2022 that Klutch opposed a trade of client Zach LaVine to the Knicks.

That dynamic is still present today. I’m told that Paul remains reluctant to do business with the Knicks, who are led by team president Leon Rose and executive vice president William Wesley. Rose was a top agent at CAA before he took over the Knicks; Wesley was a consultant for the agency before he joined Rose in New York.

The Hawks, obviously, can trade Murray -- or any other player -- to the Knicks or any other organization if they see fit. But if the Hawks decided to trade Murray, they would almost assuredly work closely with Paul and Klutch to find a suitable destination. That's often how things work in the NBA.

So the Knicks' interest in Murray is a moot point at the moment. It will remain moot for the foreseeable future.

Feb 15, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray (5) drives the lane defended by New York Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley (5) during the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Now, if Murray wanted specifically to play for the Knicks, Paul wouldn't stand in the way. He'd facilitate the move. That applies to any Klutch client. But unless a player requests a move to New York, Paul is reluctant to deal with the Knicks.

Why is that? The Daily News' report cites the perception that the Knicks favor CAA clients. SNY could not independently confirm that.

Whatever the reasons are, there is a potential path forward for both the Knicks and Klutch. I'm told that Klutch would consider changing its current stance if there is an in-person meeting between Paul and the Knicks, presumably including Rose and Wesley. Until and unless the two sides meet in person, the Klutch-Knicks Cold War will remain in place.

If you're a Knicks fan, you may be wondering if this matters for your favorite franchise. Paul and Klutch represent several of the NBA's top players. They have a deep roster of talent.

Could the Knicks build a contender without any Klutch clients? Sure, it's possible.

But if you look at it objectively, the Knicks not having access to one of the top agencies in the NBA isn't ideal. It takes talented players -- players the Knicks covet, such as Murray -- off the board.