Dejounte Murray just ripped the lid off his turbulent San Antonio Spurs tenure this week, claiming the team tried to play “mind games” with him and didn’t embrace him. Murray, who was the Spurs’ first-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, was supposed to be the successor to Tony Parker at point guard, but his time in San Antonio ended with a trade to the Atlanta Hawks in 2022.
“I Gotta Get Traded”: The Rookie Year Hell
Murray opened up on the “All the Smoke” podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, diving deep into what he believes went wrong. It sounds like a total nightmare right from the start. Murray explained he was flat-out outplaying both Tony Parker and Patty Mills in practice, “busting Tony’s ass in practice. I’m busting Patty Mills’ ass in practice. I’m locking them up,” he said. Yet, his standing on the team barely budged. Instead, the Spurs opted to play other “depth players” over him, guys who were second-round picks or undrafted. Can you even imagine? You’re giving it your all, showing you’re ready, and they’re pushing others ahead.
“They playing other guys that was second round picks, undrafted in front of me,” Murray stated. He was so frustrated that he wanted out in his rookie season, hitting up his agent, Rich Paul. “I’m hitting Rich [Paul]. I’m like, ‘I gotta get traded.’ He’s like, ‘You ain’t got no value.’ I’m like, this is too much. What did they put me through, I don’t understand.” He played just 38 games that first year. Talk about a brutal welcome to the league.
Mind Games and Mentor Misses
Murray firmly believes the Spurs weren’t just making a tough decision; they were actively trying to mess with him. “Then as time start going, they bringing a point guard from Argentina that’s close with Manu, playing in front of me,” Murray revealed. “And mind you I’m behind Tony, Patty, but they playing these mind games. They trying to see if they could break me, not knowing you can’t break me. They want you to break yourself.” Seriously, “mind games” from your own organization? That’s a wild claim.
He went on to play three more seasons with the Spurs after his rookie year, improving significantly each step of the way, which makes his frustration even more understandable. He was putting in the work, clearly growing, yet felt he wasn’t given what he earned. What’s even wilder? Murray claims Tony Parker had “no interest in being a mentor” for the young guard during their two seasons together. That’s a tough break for a promising talent looking to learn from a legend. It’s no wonder things eventually went south and led to that 2022 trade.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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