Insiders Ponder If Atlanta Has Another Trade Up Its Sleeve As The Deadline Nears

What will the Hawks do now that Trae Young is off the roster?

Jan 2, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Atlanta Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis (8) shoots past New York Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Hawks are one of the most interesting teams as we approach the trade deadline. They have already made the biggest (and only) trade of the NBA season so far when they sent Trae Young to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. That trade gave the Hawks another expensive, expiring contract in McCollum and combined with Porzingis and Kennard, Atlanta now has more than $70 million in expiring contracts to send out before the deadline if they wanted to make a big move.

The other thing those contracts give Atlanta is optionality, a favorite word of general manager Onsi Saleh, who has already said that the Hawks won't make any trade that is short-sighted and for the near term. This team is about building for the long-term around Jalen Johnson and the Pelicans pick that the Hawks are set to receive in June's Draft. The Hawks could hold onto all of these players and open up a lot of cap space this summer and add to their team that way.

Another trade?

The Hawks have been heavily linked to Anthony Davis in trade talks, though any deal for the Mavericks big man is likely off the table given the recent injury news. That does not mean that the Hawks might not have another trade up their sleeve though and that is a question ESPN insiders made when talking about the team leading into the deadline:

"The Hawks accomplished a significant goal of theirs by moving Young and his $50 million player option for next season. However, team sources say they still have ambitions for the season.

Atlanta has $42 million in expiring contracts with Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard, and a $13 million trade exception with four tradable first-round picks -- although inquiring teams can forget about getting the unprotected swap rights the Hawks have with the Pelicans or Bucks in June's draft. Their books are relatively clean, too, as only Jalen Johnson will earn more than $25 million next season.

That's why Atlanta has been connected to Davis trade rumblings, but the front office values its young core, which will likely gain another high-upside player in the draft with that pick swap."

What could the Hawks do? Logic would dictate that they might make a move for a center. The Hawks have been a pretty good team when Kristaps Porzingis plays, but his availability is scarce and the team has a size issue without him.

There are other options aside from Davis, though they are less splashy. The thing to keep in mind as we head into the next 40 or so games to end the season is that the Hawks have the NBA's easiest strength of schedule the rest of the way, especially after they face the Celtics on Saturday. While the record might be 20-23, Atlanta can stack some wins if they get healthy and/or they make a move at the deadline.

Keep an eye on the Atlanta Hawks in the coming weeks.