It’s been a busy NBA trade deadline, but not for the Hawks, who haven’t made a significant move since trading Trae Young to the Wizards a month ago. Most of the rumors surrounding the team have cooled as well. Anthony Davis — a player Atlanta had frequently been linked to — was just traded to the Wizards, and they’ve never truly seemed like serious players in the Giannis sweepstakes.
They are, however, reportedly eyeing a different big man in Dallas: Daniel Gafford, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
The Hawks have continued to express interest in trading for Dallas' Daniel Gafford, league sources say.
More NBA Trade Deadline coverage from @JakeLFischer and me: https://t.co/X3Wz40FGlS
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 4, 2026
With the Mavericks moving on from Anthony Davis, they appear set to build around Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving, and Gafford could be the next domino to fall.
The Hawks have a glaring need for help in the paint. Their offseason acquisition of Kristaps Porziņģis has been a swing and a miss — not because of his ability, but because of availability. When he’s been on the floor, he’s arguably been Atlanta’s most valuable player outside of Jalen Johnson. Unfortunately, injuries and a lingering illness have limited him to just 17 games. That’s left the Hawks short-handed at center, leading to major issues on defense and on the glass.
Those are areas where Gafford excels. He’s never been a primary scorer — though he finishes efficiently as a rim runner — and has made his living by averaging over 10 rebounds and nearly three blocks per 36 minutes for his career.
Gafford signed a three-year, $54 million extension last offseason, keeping him under team control through the 2028–29 season.
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Photo: John McCoy/Icon Sportswire
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