Hawks circle Mavs’ Anthony Davis, face tough choices with Trae Young

The Hawks are suddenly being taken seriously as a suitor for Mavericks star Anthony Davis.

More specifically, Atlanta is keeping Davis on its trade radar, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, echoing a report from Chris Haynes that the Hawks remain “very intrigued” by the idea of acquiring the Mavericks big man.

So the concept has traction. The execution, however, is far more complicated.

One major hurdle is money. While Haynes reported Trae Young would not be included in any Davis deal, Stein suggests that may not be realistic.

Davis is expected to seek a maximum extension in August, and pairing his future salary with Young’s $48.97 million player option for 2026-27 would push Atlanta into an ownership comfort zone it has historically avoided.

That financial reality has fueled increasing league chatter that the Hawks are open to moving Young. Stein reports a “growing belief” around the NBA that Atlanta would listen, even if finding a deal that brings back real value is another matter entirely. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon echoed that sentiment on the Hoops Collective podcast.

“When you don’t even attempt to extend the face of your franchise, that’s a pretty clear message,” MacMahon said. “The end could be near.”

MacMahon added that maximum-salary guards rarely command the market teams expect, making any Young deal difficult to structure.

From Dallas’ side, there is little urgency. Stein reports that team owner Patrick Dumont and others would prefer to see Davis alongside Kyrie Irving and Cooper Flagg before considering another major move, making an offseason trade more likely than an in-season one.

Atlanta’s record since Young’s return has not helped matters. The Hawks are 0-6 in that stretch. (Young missed Monday’s game at Oklahoma City with a quad contusion.)