Whether ten-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis finishes this season as a member of the Dallas Mavericks remains uncertain. One of the teams that he is being linked to is the Atlanta Hawks. However, one NBA Insider says the Mavs are not interested in getting back the Hawks’ top star.
Mavericks Are Reportedly Not Interested in Trading Anthony Davis for Trae Young
Even though they have yet to see what the team can do at full strength, the Mavs’ front office is reportedly ready to make major changes. Davis, who has been in and out of the rotation due to injuries, could get shipped to a new destination.
If the rumors hold true, Davis could soon be in a Hawks jersey. One might naturally expect that a trade for a star as big as Davis would involve another player of the same caliber. The player on the Hawks who is close to that is point guard Trae Young. Be that as it may, the Mavs are uninterested in acquiring him.
Tim MacMahon of “The Hoop Collective” said that the Mavs are willing to discuss sending Davis to the Hawks. In this deal, though, Young is not the price that they covet.
“The Mavericks would like to work out a deal to send Anthony Davis to Atlanta, but Trae Young’s not gonna be part of that,” MacMahon said. “They want to move forward with Kyrie Irving as their point guard. They’re not gonna play those two guys together.”
The Mavericks would like to work out a deal to send Anthony Davis to Atlanta, but they have no interest in Trae Young, per @BannedMacMahon
(h/t @MrBuckBuckNBA )
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 29, 2025
Young commands a $215,159,700 salary with his current five-year contract. He is already in his fourth year of it, and year five carries a player option. This means that if he is traded and doesn’t like where he is sent, he could opt out at the end of the season and become a free agent. A factor that should make some teams hesitant to acquire him, even if they have the cap space.
Outside of Young, the Hawks have a handful of talented, intriguing players. Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Jalen Johnson come to mind immediately as players whom the Mavs might want. Although the Hawks might not be willing to let them go, and for good reason.
Daniels, last season’s winner of the Most Improved Player award, is only 22 and could end up becoming a key piece to a contender. At a young age, he’s already shown that he is one of the better point-of-attack defenders in the league.
Okongwu has emerged as a reliable stretch big who could also provide defensive intensity inside. At 6-foot-10, his outside scoring ability is a legitimate issue for opposing defenses.
Alexander-Walker is putting up the best scoring numbers of his career yet, averaging 20.3 points per game this season. His highest before this year? 12.8 points per game in the 2021-22 season as a member of the New Orleans Pelicans.
Johnson, meanwhile, has put together an All-Star-worthy campaign this season. Through 30 games this season, he’s been averaging 23.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.4 assists, which are all career-highs for the 24-year-old forward.
One player whom the Hawks could include in a trade for Davis is Zaccharie Risacher. According to reports, he has not developed in a way that the Hawks imagined. As such, they are willing to let him go.
Rissacher has yet to show the talent that made him the first overall pick, but he is also just 20 years old. With the right system and some patience, he could end up taking a forward leap that places him in the upper echelon of NBA talent. That could be enough for the Mavs to ask him to be part of any trade deals for Davis.
