Hawks GM Landry Fields braces for more tough decisions after trading Dejounte Murray to Pelicans

ATLANTA (AP) — No matter how difficult it was to conclude that trading Dejounte Murray was necessary, Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields knows he faces more challenges this offseason.

The NBA draft brought Atlanta two players, including No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. Saturday's trade with the New Orleans Pelicans added four veterans to the roster, plus two future first-round draft picks, for Murray.

That leaves the Hawks with an overstocked roster and the possibility that more veterans could leave Atlanta.

Fields said Wednesday that the decision to trade Murray, who joined Trae Young in Atlanta's high-scoring backcourt the last two seasons, followed the conclusion that “we wanted to reshape some things.”

“It was hard decisions, challenging,” Fields said. “We knew that where we ultimately want to be was going to require some challenging decisions. ... So from now until the start of the season, we’ll have some more tough decisions to make."

The Hawks have not won a playoff series since advancing to the 2021 Eastern Conference finals and they finished 10th in the Eastern Conference at 36-46 this season.

The first step in reshaping the roster was Fields trading AJ Griffin to Houston and acquiring the rights to guard/forward Nikola Djurisic of Serbia in the draft.

The 6-foot-9 Risacher, a forward from France, joins Young and forward Jalen Johnson as the foundation for the rebuild. Risacher has made a strong first impression in workouts this week for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

“He shoots the ball like crazy,” Djurisic said of Risacher. “He can hit some wild shots. He can block some shots.”

Forward E.J. Liddell, a 2022 second-round draft pick who was part of the package of veterans acquired from the Pelicans, said Risacher “has got a lot of potential to be really great. He's a tough shot-maker. He's tall. It's going to be really tough to contest his shots. And he can handle the ball for a guy so tall.”

Liddell, who also will play on the Hawks' Summer League team, guard Dyson Daniels, forward/center Larry Nance Jr. and center Cody Zeller were acquired in Saturday's trade. Daniels was a 2022 first-round pick.

The trade created a surplus of options at center. There has been speculation the Hawks could trade Clint Capela, who has shared time with Onyeka Okongwu. Fields said he was trying to reach an agreement with center Bruno Fernando to push back Wednesday's deadline to guarantee Fernando's $2.72 million salary for next season.

Capela, 30, is due to earn more than $22 million next year before possibly becoming a free agent.

“I still place a lot of value in Clint, so should be fine,” Fields said.

Daniels, who is expected to provide strong defense, could join Bogdan Bogdanovic, Garrison Mathews, Seth Lundy and others in the shooting guard spot that had been manned by Murray. Lundy was signed to a new two-way contract on Tuesday.

Risacher could immediately push De'Andre Hunter at small forward. Fields said he hopes Risacher uses the Summer League experience to “get more and more integrated, accustomed to actually playing a new style of basketball.”

Risacher, 19, said he was “super excited” to begin the transition from European basketball to the NBA.

“There’s so many difference between those two,” Risacher said. “First of all, of course, it's bigger. And just the way we play here is kind of different. And that’s, you know, that’s good. ... It’s really interesting for me to discover and be able to play here with all those great players.”

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Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher, left and Nikola Djurišić, right, poses for a photograph after a news conference, Friday, June 28, 2024, in Atlanta. Risacher was selected as the first overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the NBA basketball draft. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher speaks during an NBA basketball news conference, Friday, June 28, 2024, in Atlanta. Risacher was selected as the first overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the NBA basketball draft. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher speaks during an NBA basketball news conference, Friday, June 28, 2024, in Atlanta. Risacher was selected as the first overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the NBA basketball draft. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

New Orleans Pelicans new player Dejounte Murray speaks during an NBA basketball news conference Tuesday, July 9, 2024, in New Orleans. (Sophia Germer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)

Atlanta Hawks' Zaccharie Risacher, left, and General Manager Landry Fields talk after an NBA basketball news conference, Friday, June 28, 2024, in Atlanta. Risacher was selected as the first overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the NBA basketball draft. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

BALTIMORE (AP) — Spencer Arrighetti outpitched Corbin Burnes, Ben Gamel drove in two runs in his Houston debut and the Astros extended their lead in the AL West to a season-high 5 1/2 games with a 6-0 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night.

Arrighetti (6-11) allowed three hits in six innings, striking out six with one walk. Burnes (12-6) permitted five earned runs in 5 2/3 innings in the second straight rough outing for the Baltimore ace. He allowed a career-high eight runs in his previous start against Boston.

Houston has won nine straight road games, its longest streak since an 11-game run in 2018.

Gamel, acquired off waivers from the New York Mets, delivered RBI singles in the fourth and sixth, when Houston did all its scoring. The Astros are 62-39 since their 7-19 start, and they've opened a comfortable lead over second-place Seattle in the AL West. Houston was 10 games behind after losing to the Chicago White Sox on June 18.

The Orioles, meanwhile, fell 1 1/2 games behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees.

Burnes allowed eight hits. They were all singles, but they were all clustered in two innings, making them extra profitable for the Astros. Yordan Alvarez and Gamel hit RBI singles in the fourth. Then Gamel drove in another run with a sixth-inning hit.

Jake Meyers' bunt single made it 4-0, and when Burnes threw wildly to first for an error on that play it left runners on second and third. Shay Whitcomb followed with a two-run single to chase the Baltimore right-hander.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Astros: Alex Bregman (elbow) was in the DH spot for a second straight game. Manager Joe Espada said putting Bregman at 1B could be a possibility at some point.

Orioles: Manager Brandon Hyde said RHP Zach Eflin (shoulder) should be ready to return when he's eligible to come off the injured list in early September.

UP NEXT

Hunter Brown (11-7) starts for Houston on Friday night against Baltimore rookie Cade Povich (1-6). Brown is 10-2 with a 2.33 ERA since the start of June.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

Baltimore Orioles' Ryan Mountcastle slides into second base and avoids the tag from Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve after hitting a double during the second inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

Baltimore Orioles' Gunnar Henderson hits a double against Houston Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

Houston Astros pitcher Spencer Arrighetti throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)