The trade deadline is fast approaching, and things are heating up. If you’re on the “Trade Anthony Davis” boat, Trae Young heading to the Washington Wizards is music to your ears. It’s no secret that the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks have had exploratory talks on an Anthony Davis deal. Still, Trae Young’s contract was the big hurdle that had to be cleared before conversations actually got serious.
Young and Atlanta were on the road to separating after the Hawks decided not to give him an extension last summer. And then there’s Young’s lingering $49 million player option next season. As this season waned on, it became increasingly clear that Atlanta was ready to be out of the Trae Young business. His expensive contract, coupled with Jalen Johnson’s leap to stardom this season, has made the path all too clear for Atlanta.
The Hawks are 2-8 with Young playing this season and 16-13 without him. Johnson is averaging 23.5 points per game, 10.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists on 52% shooting. The Hawks’ new franchise star has emerged, and the one for the past eight seasons exited to an improved Washington Wizards team. The Wizards sent guards C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Hawks, adding Trae Young to their athletic, young core. While the return may be underwhelming to some for Young, a four-time all-star in his prime, it helps set up the possibility for a bigger move: Anthony Davis.
The Mavericks aren’t going anywhere fast this season. They sit two games out of 10th place in the West for the last play-in spot and are 14-23 overall. The blockbuster deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks has had underwhelming returns on the Dallas side. Davis has played 28 games in a Maverick uniform out of a possible 65. He’ll turn 33 in March, and his injury history isn’t on his side. Nico Harrison’s vision of a Kyrie Irving-Anthony Davis duo may live only in a singular half of basketball against the Houston Rockets. While he’s been overall good on the court, Davis’s health has been a major concern for the Mavericks. He’s averaging 20.3 points per game this season, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks. But being available for less than 50% of games isn’t a great return after giving up a franchise superstar in Luka Doncic. An abysmal start to the season and Davis’s questionable health have the Mavericks rethinking their future.
Once the Mavericks won the NBA Lottery in the 2025 offseason and drafted Cooper Flagg, the timeline shifted. The “win now” mode became second fiddle to building around Cooper Flagg. As the Mavericks have sustained several injuries this season, including season-ending injuries for Dereck Lively II and Dante Exum, and an uncertain timeline of return for Kyrie Irving, the need to build a younger core around Cooper Flagg has risen to the forefront. This central goal was highlighted further with the firing of General Manager Nico Harrison on November 11. Since then, several internal discussions have taken place on what to do with Anthony Davis.
Davis is making $54 million this season and $58 million next season. He’ll likely be seeking out a massive contract extension this upcoming summer. That kind of money committed to a 33-year-old injury-prone player will make it extremely difficult for the Mavericks to build around new franchise star Cooper Flagg. As tempting as it is to dream of a trio with Cooper Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Kyrie Irving, there’s no guarantee they’ll ever see the court together. Although the Mavs haven’t completely ruled out keeping Anthony Davis, finding a trade suitor seems like the most logical choice financially and for the future. Enter the Atlanta Hawks.
The Atlanta Hawks are in the middle of a wide-open Eastern Conference. They currently sit at 9th with an 18-21 record, but only 3.5 games out of 6th, the last playoff spot. The Achilles Heel of the Hawks all season has been their lackluster defense. They rank 16th in the NBA in defensive rating, giving up 114.9 points per 100 possessions, and 24th in points given up per game at 119.4. Atlanta has good perimeter defenders in Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson but have a gaping hole in the middle. The lack of a defensive anchor has them sitting at 25th in the NBA in points given up in the paint per game at 53.5.
There are a few boxes you need to check off if you want to be considered a serious contender. First, a go-to guy in the clutch. Check - Jalen Johnson. Second, a point-of-attack defender who can lock down the opponent’s best scorer. Check - Dyson Daniels. Third, a deep bench that can put points on the board. Check - the Hawks are 8th in the NBA in bench points scored this season, averaging 34.9 per game. Fourth, a big man who can anchor a defense. No checks. It’s been widely speculated the Hawks believe they’re an “Anthony Davis” type player away from being in the conversation with the East’s elite.
The departure of Trae Young sets up the arrival of a player who can be the defensive powerhouse for the Hawks and potentially springboard them up the standings to make a real push for the playoffs. The ideal pick may be Anthony Davis. Although he comes with health concerns, the Hawks are actively searching for suitors who would be willing to take on the contract of a frequently injured big man himself in Kristaps Porzingis and veteran sharpshooter Luke Kennard. Porzingis is on the last year of his contract, making $30.7 million, and Kennard’s contract is up after this season, after he signed a one-year deal worth $11 million in the summer of 2025. There have been whispers that Dallas would be willing to take on those contracts in a deal for Anthony Davis, but with some conditions.
The Mavericks would likely want draft compensation and a young player to run alongside Cooper Flagg. Zacharie Risacher makes the most sense for Dallas to try to pry away from the Hawks, as the 2024 first overall pick has been underwhelming in his time with Atlanta. Still, Risacher is averaging 11.1 points per game, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game this season at just 20 years old. Reports have been mixed on how willing the Hawks would be to include Risacher in a deal, but from the Mavericks’ perspective, he makes the most sense.
The Hawks own the Pelicans’ 2026 first-round pick, which has been reported to be off the table for the Mavs. That pick will go somewhere in the top six, and the 2026 draft is loaded with talent. The departure of Trae Young also sets the Hawks up nicely to draft a new potential star to pair alongside Jalen Johnson. The Hawks have another 2026 first-round pick that has many conditions but would still likely land in the top 20. Meaning, the Mavericks could potentially own two picks in the top 20 in the 2026 draft.
The Mavericks could offer their 2026 first-round pick to swap with the Hawks, and Atlanta wouldn’t technically lose any draft compensation. But the value of the Hawks/Pelicans pick seems too valuable right now, as the Pelicans sit at 8-31, and the NBA’s second-worst team. It would be hard to imagine Atlanta parting from their 2026 Pelicans first-round pick.
A potential deal could look something like Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kennard, Zacharie Risacher, and the less favorable 2026 first-round pick for Anthony Davis. Dallas could also send a player like Dante Exum since the Hawks can take back more money, meaning the Mavericks would have room to sign Ryan Nembhard to a standard NBA deal.
Trade season is here, and it appears the Mavericks will once again be at the forefront of conversations. They went for Kyrie Irving in 2023, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford in 2024, and Anthony Davis in 2025. History tells us they make deals around this time of year, and it feels all but inevitable once again. The Hawks aren’t the only trade suitor for Anthony Davis, as other teams like the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors have also shown interest. However, the Trae Young move feels like it’s a piece of something bigger. We’ll know in less than a month if it was.
See More:
* [Mavericks Rumors](/mavericks-rumors)
* [Mavericks Trade Rumors](/mavericks-trade-rumors)