Dejounte Murray

Liddell will be traded for the second time this summer. He was sent to Atlanta as part of the transaction headlined by the Pelicans' acquisition of Dejounte Murray. While the 2022 second-round pick did play well at the NBA 2K25 Summer League earlier in July, he's unlikely to get the opportunities needed to be fantasy-relevant in Phoenix.

Liddell was perceived as a "throw-in" in the Dejounte Murray trade but looked like a legitimate contributor on Sunday night. While the scoring was not surprising, Liddell blocking four shots was unexpected, given the career average of 0.3 per game as a rookie. He's a rugged forward who can be challenging to corral when allowed to get downhill off the dribble. The Hawks also acquired Larry Nance Jr. in the Murray trade, but there could be minutes behind Jalen Johnson at power forward, especially if Nance or Clint Capela were to be moved before the season begins. If so, Liddell's chances of earning rotation minutes will increase.

While Hawkins did lead all scorers with 24 points, this was not an efficient performance. In addition to shooting 6-of-18 from the field, the second-year guard was responsible for eight turnovers. Hawkins' role in Las Vegas differs from the one he'll likely have once the season begins, as the Pelicans have put him in position to make more plays with the ball in his hands. While that approach should aid in his development, the presence of Dejounte Murray and CJ McCollum means Hawkins will remain a low-usage player when the games count.

According to the Hawks, Bufkin injured his shoulder during practice on Tuesday. Found to have symptoms "consistent with a right shoulder subluxation," the 2023 first-round pick will not play in Las Vegas but is expected to be fully healthy in time for training camp. With the Hawks trading Dejounte Murray to the Pelicans, more minutes should be available to Bufkin after he played sparingly as a rookie. Depending on his health and how he performs in camp, Bufkin could be worth taking a late-round flier on in deep leagues as Trae Young's backup.

Dejounte Murray, the 27-year-old point guard and new member of the New Orleans Pelicans, met with reporters on Tuesday, and told them, in his latest NBA stop, that his main goal with the young team is "working hard and being a great person."