Hawks fans have been on the edge of their seats for the last 48 hours. Considering that the 2025-26 season is only a quarter through, most would expect this anxiousness to be because of something that happened on the court.
In Dallas, however, it sort of is. Aside from the recent reports of trade speculation surrounding their star big man, they suffered a significant setback to an already challenging season. Dereck Lively II, their promising young center, has been ruled out for the season with a foot injury.
Losing Lively is a brutal blow, especially for the struggling Mavericks, who are now 9-16 on the year. If it wasn't for Cooper Flagg's standout rookie season, there would be nothing for Dallas fans to be excited about.
One particular rumor that has kept both Hawks and Mavericks fans intrigued is the availability of 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis. In a recent report from ESPN's Shams Charania, the Mavericks are "open to exploring" a Davis trade, with the Atlanta Hawks being among the teams interested.
This fascinating report, however, came before the brutal Dereck Lively injury news. Just over 24 hours after the initial Davis report, Charania confirmed that Lively would miss the remainder of the season, sparking debates among fans about whether Dallas should keep the same approach regarding Davis' availability.
Dallas' decision to either contend or tank will determine AD's availability.
On the surface, this shouldn't change much. Through 25 games, it's clear that the Mavericks probably don't have what it takes to compete in the loaded Western Conference. A full-on rebuild would benefit the organization much more than fighting for a Play-In spot.
The amount of veterans on the roster, however, could be what forces Dallas to keep AD around. One thing is for sure: Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, D'Angelo Russell and Daniel Gafford would not be on board with tanking. Trading Davis for expiring salary and picks would likely result in them having to clean house.
Front offices typically don't like to engage in mid-season fire sales, which is one reason why Anthony Davis may ultimately remain with the Mavericks for the rest of the year. The other one is obvious: without Dereck Lively, their center room is thin.
Would a team that is trying to fight for a spot in the Play-In be comfortable retaining a Daniel Gafford/Dwight Powell center rotation? The answer is probably not.
Davis has even been reluctant to play many minutes at the five, as he sees himself as more of a power forward. Regardless, his size and experience force him in that role more often than not.
Atlanta trading for Anthony Davis is still possible, but the devastating Lively injury adds yet another potential barrier to the two sides agreeing on a deal.