The Spurs and Hawks, opponents on Thursday, are inextricably linked by a risky and franchise-defining transaction. The Dejounte Murray trade sealed Atlanta’s commitment to winning in the short term at the expense of a high upside and affirmed San Antonio’s decision to bottom out and try to build a true contender through the draft.
The move will have ripple effects for years on both teams and will arguably determine how the front offices that made it are judged. Yet, the boring reality is that it was nothing more than the obvious choice for both franchises at the time.