The Atlanta Hawks have been extremely active in recent trade rumors. Following the move to part with Trae Young, the Hawks seem primed to make another big splash by pursuing Anthony Davis.
Anthony Davis has garnered significant trade interest this season. Although several teams, including the Golden State Warriors, were initially linked with him, recent updates indicate that only the Hawks and the Toronto Raptors have shown genuine interest.
Among the two, the Hawks seem more inclined to pursue Davis, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who stated:
“This Trae Young deal sets the Atlanta Hawks up with additional financial flexibility to be active on the trade front to land another big-name player, another major salary, that being Anthony Davis.”
“They’re going to pursue Anthony Davis as a prime trade target with the Mavericks. But allowing this pursuit of Anthony Davis is really made possible because you get rid of the salary of Trae Young moving forward.”
Charania acknowledged that the Hawks’ interest in acquiring a “big salary player” in Anthony Davis seems genuine. However, the task of making such a deal may prove more challenging.
With only a handful of trade scenarios possible, we explore two that could help Atlanta acquire the 10-time All-Star from the Dallas Mavericks.
Hawks Package Young Players And Assets For Anthony Davis
Proposed Trade Details
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Anthony Davis
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu, Zaccharie Risacher, Luke Kennard, 2029 first-round pick, 2031 first-round pick
The first scenario involves the Hawks packaging Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Onyeka Okongwu, Zaccharie Risacher, Luke Kennard, and two valuable first-round draft picks to pry Davis away from the Mavericks.
For the most part, the deal seems quite favorable.
Both Alexander-Walker and Kennard are elite perimeter threats. For the 2025-26 season, Alexander-Walker is averaging 20.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game on 44.4% shooting from the field and 37.4% from three-point range. Having established himself as a solid two-way player, the Mavericks could benefit from the added wing depth and scoring boost.
Meanwhile, Kennard is averaging 7.4 points per game this season while shooting 50.9% from the field and 45.8% from three-point range. Overall, the veteran sharpshooter hasn’t been as impressive as advertised, but considering that he is on an expiring contract worth $11.0 million, the Mavs may be inclined to acquire him.
Along with these two, the Mavericks would also be acquiring an athletic big man in Okongwu. With Davis’ departure, Dallas would need another center in their frontcourt rotation. Considering his averages of 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game this season, he could be a high-value addition to the team.
Although these players have upside, the acquisition that the Mavs will be most interested in could be Zaccharie Risacher. The talented young Spaniard hasn’t lived up to expectations in Atlanta, but his versatility on both ends of the floor is intriguing.
Risacher is averaging 11.2 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game this season on 46.2% shooting from the field and 35.8% from three-point range. With the potential to blossom into a star-caliber player in a different system, the Mavs could hope to cultivate him into a secondary star next to Cooper Flagg.
Hawks Send Kristaps Porzingis And Assets For Anthony Davis
Proposed Trade Details
Atlanta Hawks Receive: Anthony Davis
Dallas Mavericks Receive: Kristaps Porzingis, Zaccharie Risacher, Luke Kennard, 2029 first-round pick
Much like the previous package, this scenario also features Zaccharie Risacher and Luke Kennard. However, due to the inclusion of Kristaps Porzingis, the Hawks may only part with one first-round pick in this scenario.
For obvious reasons, the benefits of acquiring Risacher and Kennard remain the same. The real point of difference lies in Porzingis’ acquisition.
The Hawks’ star big man has positioned himself as one of the best floor-spacing centers in the NBA. When healthy, Porzingis contributes with his reliable scoring, rebounding, and rim protection. By additionally factoring in his championship experience, the big man becomes a major asset for a team with title aspirations.
In 17 appearances this season, Porzingis is averaging 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field and 36.0% from three-point range.
For the Mavericks, acquiring Porzingis could effectively address Anthony Davis’ potential departure. But given his history with the franchise, the team may also be deterred from acquiring him.
Although this could be an obstacle, changes in the Mavericks’ upper management could suggest a different approach to making this trade. Should Dallas opt to shift its focus toward Porzingis’ $30.7 million expiring contract instead, the organization may stand to gain more in the long run by acquiring him.
Which Trade Scenario Is More Likely?
With the second scenario, the combined value of Porzingis’ and Kennard’s expiring contracts ($41.7 million) could provide Dallas with significant cap flexibility in the summer of 2026. This would allow the team to make a splash in the free agency market and help them structure the roster around their new young core.
Although this is promising, the first scenario seems far more likely. The notion of acquiring two young players in Alexander-Walker and Okongwu, along with a star-caliber talent in Risacher, aligns with Dallas’ plans.
The Mavs are also likely to view the opportunity of adding more draft picks to their war chest of assets more favorably. Though the franchise may be more interested in gaining the Pelicans’ 2026 first-round pick from the Hawks, this could be a stretch.
Thus, with the first package catering to Dallas’ needs more carefully, the Mavs could be inclined to make this deal to send Anthony Davis to Atlanta.
