Even after Anthony Davis got injured against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, the trade rumors haven’t slowed down. They actually seem to be accelerating.
The Warriors are reportedly interested in Davis, and the Atlanta Hawks’ prior interest in the star big man may have intensified as well.
On Friday night, NBA insider Chris Haynes revealed that Golden State is “contemplating making a case to acquire Anthony Davis.” The Warriors want a rim-rolling big man that can protect the paint, and that’s exactly what Davis brings when healthy.
They want a “defensive-dominant starting center” for the final stretch of the season and heading into the NBA Playoffs, and when Davis is at his best, there aren’t many better frontcourt defenders in the NBA. He also happens to be playing his best basketball of the season at center this season, and some of his dominant games happened before the Warriors’ Christmas Day duel with Dallas.
The Anthony Davis trade noise is getting louder
The Mavericks’ Christmas trip to the Bay also could’ve given key front-office members from both sides an ideal time to talk about a potential trade surrounding Davis, but these rumors between the two teams come with a slight caveat.
Despite Golden State’s interest in Davis, Haynes reported that a third team would likely need to get involved in the trade. The Mavericks aren’t very intrigued with the assets that the Warriors have to offer, and they’d either have to acquire more assets that Dallas would like or get another team involved.
The Mavs’ route to sending Davis to the Dubs isn’t going to be easy, but the same can’t be said about the Hawks.
After Atlanta’s interest in Davis was previously downplayed, Haynes reported that the Hawks are “very intrigued” with the idea of trading for him. Haynes said Trae Young would not be included in a potential deal between Dallas and Atlanta, as the Mavericks would pursue expiring contracts, young players, and future draft capital.
The cherry on top of this undeniable smoke between the Mavs and Hawks is that Zaccharie Risacher would likely be part of any deal that they would make surrounding Davis. Risacher was the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and he’d be an excellent piece for Dallas to pursue if the trade talk does pick up with the Hawks.
Every move that the Mavericks make from this point forward should prioritize Cooper Flagg’s future, and the Hawks could quietly be becoming the leading suitor for Davis. The Toronto Raptors have seemed like one of the frontrunners recently, but the fact that Haynes leaked a potential package between the Mavericks and Hawks is hard to ignore.
There seems to be something real picking up between Dallas and Atlanta, and the Hawks clearly need some change. They’ve dropped 10 of their last 12 games, and a player like Davis would help get them back on track and in a position to make a playoff push.
The trade rumors surrounding Anthony Davis are picking up steam at the perfect time for those who believe that the Mavericks should trade him. The Hawks’ increased interest in him, combined with the Warriors joining the mix, should make things interesting.