NBA Rumors: Trae Young, Dillon Brooks, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis

Sam Amick and Josh Robbins of The Athletic have confirmed Shams Charania’s report that the Hawks are working with Trae Young and his representatives to find the 27-year-old a new team.

As Amick reported last week, Atlanta has been increasingly open to Young trade talks for weeks, if not months, after showing little interest in pursuing an extension. Even so, the market appears limited.

According to Amick and Robbins, Young is seeking a contract “commensurate with a star player,” which has given pause to several teams.

One example. A team source told The Athletic that the Kings, long viewed as a possible landing spot, have “no interest” in trading for Young. The authors add that Zach LaVine, whose contract closely mirrors Young’s, is known to have interest in joining Atlanta.

As for Marc Stein’s report about a potential framework sending Young to the Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum, Amick and Robbins note that Young does not fit the archetype typically favored by Washington’s top decision-makers.

They speculate the Wizards would likely seek either draft compensation or a young player to justify absorbing Young’s contract, which includes a $49 million player option for next season.

Young missed his fifth straight game Monday with a right quad contusion.

Suns silence Brooks talk

Do not expect Dillon Brooks to be on the move. Suns insider Gerald Bourguet reported that the Suns have no interest in trading the veteran wing, citing both his on-court and locker room impact.

Suns owner Mat Ishbia quickly backed that up. After DeMarcus Cousins said on FanDuel TV that he would trade Austin Reaves for Brooks “in a heartbeat” if he were running the Lakers, Ishbia responded on social media: “Don’t bother calling. Dillon’s not going anywhere.”

Deadline themes emerging

Amick, Robbins and John Hollinger also discussed major storylines ahead of the February 5 trade deadline, agreeing that Giannis Antetokounmpo remains the league’s biggest potential domino.

All three believe Antetokounmpo is more likely to stay put during the season than be moved, unless he explicitly requests a trade.

Other topics included whether Anthony Davis could be dealt by the Mavericks, as well as which role players might appeal to contenders. Hollinger cited Wizards forward Justin Champagnie as an example of a team-friendly contract that could attract interest.

Davis, Irving partnership uncertain

Speaking of Dallas, Christian Clark of The Athletic writes that Davis and Kyrie Irving had hoped to play together for years before it finally happened last February.

The timing could not have been worse. The two shared the floor for just over two quarters before Davis suffered a left adductor strain. Less than a month later, Irving tore his ACL, and there remains no timetable for his return.

Whether the duo will get another chance to team up before the season ends remains an open question, with Dallas expected to at least listen on Davis as the deadline approaches.