The Atlanta Hawks are seriously considering an Anthony Davis trade after initially posturing as disinterested, as Chris Haynes first reported and Marc Stein corroborated.
The change in direction should be no surprise to Hawks fans. The last substantial Davis trade update, nearly two weeks ago, came before Atlanta embarked on a seven-game losing streak. The streak can be directly tied to the absence of Kristaps Porzingis due to illness, which has opened a massive hole in Atlanta’s big man rotation. Simply put, the Hawks don’t have any healthy “center-sized” players on the roster.
The Latvian big man started this season hot, which helped Atlanta fly up the standings over the month of November. As January approaches, however, Porzingis has missed 14 of the last 15 games to illness. The sad fact is that he’s played just 38% of games despite an unusually healthy season regarding injury (as opposed to illness). Consequently, his absence has left Atlanta unequipped to defend the paint and grab rebounds due to their physical disadvantages.
With Atlanta struggling on the interior and Porzingis’s health in decline, it makes sense to flip his (or Trae Young’s) contract for the big man the Hawks thought they traded for this offseason.
Davis is a perfect fit for the Hawks
It is important to address the elephant in the room. Yes, Anthony Davis is on a massive contract, and no, he is not exactly the most durable center in the league.
Still, when healthy, Davis has been a top-20 player in the league on a consistent basis, and he is an excellent on-court fit. Atlanta desperately lacks athleticism and length required to defend the paint and rebound effectively.
Davis was an elite defender in his heyday and is still a top tier option as a glass-cleaning, rim-protecting big who primarily runs drop coverage. While his offensive game has declined from his championship peak, Davis is known as one of the greatest lob finishers in NBA history and Young has a wizard-like passing ability. Together, they could use their synergy to rediscover the previous heights of their respective careers.
If a trade is executed, the list of assets on the table are: Porzingis, Zaccharie Risacher, Luke Kennard, and first round pick(s). Haynes reported that Young would not be traded to Dallas, and Stein reported that Atlanta would consider trading Risacher in the “proverbial right scenario.”
Is this the proverbial right scenario? The Hawks are the most talented they’ve been in nearly a decade, yet the team is on a seven-game losing streak and is tumbling down the standings. The Porzingis trade was a swing and a miss, but hope is not lost yet.