How the Trae Young trade could affect Anthony Davis’ future with the Dallas Mavericks

Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic will forever be connected because of the infamous trade that forced them to swap cities last February.

Long before that stunning transaction was even a possibility, Doncic was linked to Trae Young. The two dynamic point guards were traded for each other on the night of the 2018 NBA draft.

The Dallas Mavericks desperately needed a successor as the face of their franchise since Dirk Nowitzki was in the twilight of his career. The Atlanta Hawks needed a hard reset that year following their first season without a playoff appearance in a decade, and Young’s elite offensive skillset brought them back into relevance.

Both Doncic and Young earned multiple-All-Star appearances and found playoff success on their respective teams, but after seven years, both teams felt the need to part ways with their franchise point guard and move in different directions.

Mavericks

The first domino of the NBA’s annual trade season fell Wednesday night when the Hawks reportedly traded Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young reacts during pregame warmups before the start of an NBA...

While Doncic was traded without warning by the Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, the three-player deal to move Young was anticipated, especially since the franchise did not offer the four-time All-Star a contract extension during the offseason.

Atlanta will receive a reliable veteran in McCollum and a sharpshooter in Kispert as it builds around its budding new star, Jalen Johnson, but the deal also gives the Hawks financial flexibility for future trades and free agent signings.

Could those same dominos fall toward the direction of Davis, who’s reportedly a prime trade target for the Hawks? It’s a possibility.

The Mavericks are 14-23 entering Thursday’s game against the Utah Jazz, which is two games behind the Memphis Grizzlies for 10th in the Western Conference. There’s a chance Dallas could make a push toward the Play-In tournament as they did last season, especially if Kyrie Irving returns from ACL surgery to join Davis and Cooper Flagg.

Those circumstances could diminish the Mavericks’ chances at a quality draft pick in the 2026 draft, the final one in which they’ll have full control over their first-round draft pick until 2031.

Dallas remains in a fluid situation and could keep the core of its team intact past the Feb. 5 trade deadline, with minimal changes around the margins, or it could make another drastic change that prioritizes the franchise’s future.

Davis, the Mavericks’ best trade asset, possesses a massive $54 million contract that won’t be easy to move if they choose to place all of their eggs in the basket to build around their 19-year-old rookie. Davis is also owed $58 million next season and could make $62.7 million if he opts in to his player option for the 2026-27 season.

By trading Young’s $46 million salary, the Hawks cleared enough cap space to pursue an expensive contract such as Davis’ either ahead of the deadline or during the offseason. The 10-time All-Star big man will be eligible for an extension for up to $275 million this summer, which is expected to be a priority for Davis if he remains in Dallas or traded elsewhere.

If the Mavericks and Davis conclude that a trade would be the most feasible outcome, what could Atlanta offer to Dallas that would make sense to accept?

Dallas could request the expiring contracts of Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard, along with rookie forward Asa Newell for Davis, which would be enough for the salaries to match. While Porzingis and Kennard won’t duplicate the production left by Davis, who averages 20.3 points and 11.1 rebounds, both will be unrestricted free agents this summer and the Mavericks could clear a significant amount of cap space if they are included in any trade package.

If the Mavericks want to pair Flagg with another former No. 1 pick in Zaccharie Risacher as opposed to Newell, then they would have to add a player such as Jaden Hardy, Caleb Martin or D’Angelo Russell to the deal.

That’s only if the Hawks are willing to part ways with Risacher, a 20-year-old wing averaging 11.2 points and 3.3 rebounds this season. Atlanta does possess an attractive asset that would make a deal for Davis appealing, but it would be a surprise if it is willing to part ways with the 2026 first-round pick the Hawks received last season from the New Orleans Pelicans.

Plenty of discussions could happen during the 28 days remaining until the trade deadline, but Young’s departure from Atlanta less than a month away could be the start of more movement around the NBA.

Mavericks’ Anthony Davis leaves game late in fourth quarter against Utah Jazz