Potential Hawks Trade Package For Mavericks Superstar Not Expected to Include Trae Young

Could Trae Young be moved if the Hawks could land Anthony Davis?

Dec 25, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) sits on the bench after suffering an injury during the second quarter against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Things are not going well for the Atlanta Hawks.

Atlanta has lost six straight games and 10 of their last 12. They have gone 2-10 in the month of December and have gone from Eastern Conference Playoff team to only one game in front of the 11th place team. Whether it is defense or their lack of size at the center position, the Hawks have a lot of problems that they need to solve if they hope to get back in the playoff race.

If they want to take a big swing to try and solve both of those problems, there might not be a better target than Mavericks center Anthony Davis. Davis has been on the trade block for most of this season and the Hawks have been rumored to be one of his suitors.

On Friday, NBA insider Chris Haynes talked about the latest rumors surrounding Davis and about what the Hawks trade for Davis could look like:

"The Atlanta Hawks remain very intrigued by the possibility of acquiring Anthony Davis via a trade. Now the Hawks possess a pretty attractive asset package to make things interesting. If you want to take a closer look, he has this season and the next one but after that, he can become a free agent with his player option so any teams that try and acquire him will have to think about giving him an extension. So with that being said, if a deal is able to materialize between the Hawks and the Mavericks, I am told that it would not involve Trae Young. Dallas would likely want expiring deals, young assets, and picks, and to likely include the No. 1 pick from last year, Zacch Risacher. So with that being sad, the Hawks and Mavericks is something to watch to see if something materializes."

Not including Young makes sense. The Hawks ceiling would be higher with Young and Davis playing together and the Mavericks already have Kyrie Irving. If Irving was moved elsewhere, it would make sense, but that is the only way that I think that Young would be in a deal including Davis.

How much would Davis help?

Dec 23, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) looks on during the game between the Mavericks and the Nuggets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Rencently, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Hawks have been one of the top teams in pursuit of Davis, but there is not a lot of optimism about a deal getting done with the Mavericks:

"The teams most interested to date, according to league sources, are Toronto and Atlanta.

Beyond the well-known fact that the Hawks have zero intention to make the 2026 first-round pick coming their way from New Orleans available, I'm not hearing much optimism at the moment that Atlanta can get anywhere near a package that would tempt Dallas. The Hawks can really only make a credible bid for a high-salaried player by parting with Trae Young or Kristaps Porziņģis. On top of the ongoing uncertainty regarding Porziņģis' battle with illness, I don't see Young as a target for the Mavericks. Not when they remain committed to Kyrie Irving.

Sources say Dallas, furthermore, is not at all interested in just shedding Davis' contract, which is essentially the same deal as Antetokounmpo's in Milwaukee. The Mavericks have maintained to date that they would only be willing to part with the centerpiece of their infamous Doncić deal last February if the trade brings back a return of real consequence."

Davis is under contract for this season, next season, and has a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-2028 season. Charania mentioned that he is eligible for a massive four-year, $275 million max extension that would pay him $76 million when he turns 37,.

Due to his injury history and age, that is not an extension that the Hawks would be interested in given general manager Onsi Saleh's short track record of having optionality and flexibility.

I do think that for the right offer, the Hawks should be interested in Davis for the remainder of his current contract. Atlanta has a talented, young team that is below the luxury tax and there are ways to acquire Davis that would keep them there or below the first apron.

A trio of Young, Davis, and Jalen Johnson would be among the best in the league and the Hawks could still have Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Davis would raise the ceiling of this team and in a wide open Eastern Conference, it might be the difference if he could stay healthy. The Hawks have plenty of assets and options right now and could make a big deal like this if it is for the right price.