The Hawks executed the first big trade of the 2025-26 NBA season on Wednesday night, sending Trae Young to the Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. It is a meaningful trade on several levels and shows just how far Young’s stock has fallen since he signed a max contract with Atlanta in 2021. But as noted by Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix in the immediate aftermath of the trade, it could open up a runway for the Hawks to trade for Anthony Davis.
Atlanta has been linked to AD throughout this season in trade rumors. Davis is one of the most impactful players likely to be on the market ahead of the February 5 trade deadline. Once the Mavericks fired the man who brought him to Dallas, Nico Harrison, he became the subject of plentiful trade speculation given his clunky fit with the Mavs’ future built around the talents of Cooper Flagg. In fact, hours before Young was traded, The Athletic named Atlanta as one of two primary suitors for Davis on the trade market—and the star himself is “amenable” to landing there.
