As the NBA trade deadline looms, the Atlanta Hawks find themselves at a high-stakes crossroads. Recent reports from league insiders Marc Stein and Chris Haynes suggest that while Atlanta is aggressively pursuing Dallas Mavericks superstar Anthony Davis, the logistics of moving their own franchise cornerstone, Trae Young, have become an increasingly complex puzzle.
Here is an analysis of why the Hawks may face an uphill battle in reshaping their roster this winter.
📉 The Trae Young Dilemma: High Salary, Limited Market
For years, Trae Young was considered "untouchable" in Atlanta. However, as of late December 2025, Marc Stein reports a "growing belief leaguewide" that the Hawks are more open to trading the three-time All-Star than ever before.
The complication lies in the numbers:
The Contract: Young is playing under a $46 million cap hit this season and holds a massive $48.97 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
1 The "Davis" Conflict: If Atlanta successfully acquires Anthony Davis—who carries a $54.1 million hit—keeping Young on the roster becomes a financial nightmare. Stein notes it is "hard to imagine" Atlanta’s ownership group authorizing a payroll that features two players combining for over $100 million without moving Young first.
🚫 The Dallas Deadlock
The most straightforward path—a direct swap of Young for Davis—appears to be off the table. According to Chris Haynes, the Dallas Mavericks have expressed little to no interest in acquiring Young.
Instead, Dallas is reportedly focused on a "retooling" strategy around Luka Dončić (if he remains) or building a new core. Their preferred return for Davis includes:
Expiring Contracts (to clear future cap space).
Young Assets (specifically Zaccharie Risacher, the 2024 #1 overall pick).
3 Draft Capital (unprotected first-rounders).
Because Dallas doesn't want Young’s long-term salary, Atlanta is forced to look for a third—or even fifth—team to facilitate the move.
🔄 The "Five-Team" Escape Room
To solve this, ESPN’s Bobby Marks recently floated a massive five-team trade proposal. In this scenario, the Hawks would finally land Davis, but Young would be rerouted to the Sacramento Kings. The deal would also reportedly involve the Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, and Sacramento Kings to balance the salaries and asset distribution.
| Team | Key Incoming Piece | Key Outgoing Piece |
| Atlanta Hawks | Anthony Davis | Trae Young, Zaccharie Risacher |
| Dallas Mavericks | Expiring Deals / Picks | Anthony Davis |
| Sacramento Kings | Trae Young | Draft Assets / Salary Fillers |
⚠️ The Risk of the Player Option
The looming shadow over these talks is Young’s 2026-27 player option. If Atlanta fails to find a trade partner and Young exercises that $49 million option, the Hawks could find themselves "trapped" in a luxury tax hell with a roster that has clearly hit its ceiling.
As Stein puts it, the Hawks are "determined" to land Davis, but the road to getting there requires a masterclass in salary cap gymnastics that the league hasn't seen in years.
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