Over halfway through the 2025-26 season, the Atlanta Hawks sit at 20-22, good for ninth place in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
All things considered, it's been a wildly disappointing season. Coming into the year, the Hawks had a justified amount of hype surrounding them. The front office saw how last season unfolded and used their financial flexibility to their advantage, improving their roster around the margins.
Many assumed the Hawks were just one or two pieces away from contention in the Eastern Conference, so when they added Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard, fans and league personnel alike gave them heavy expectations that would ultimately be difficult to meet.
They've let down the national media so far this year. There's still plenty of time to turn it around, but if they don't act quickly, they could find themselves in too deep of a hole to climb out of.
When looking at why Atlanta has struggled so mightily this season, a lot of it comes down to three main issues: rebounding, lineup inconsistencies and interior defense.
These struggles have all come as a chain reaction. When one is prevalent, the rest follow. For example, when Porzingis is out of the lineup, Atlanta is forced to rely on Onyeka Okongwu and Jalen Johnson to protect the paint, resulting in more buckets down low and them getting out-rebounded.
Most of this, if not all, could be fixed with a blockbuster trade.
It's clear to see why the Hawks are at least interested in acquiring Anthony Davis from the Mavericks. When healthy, Davis is still one of the league's most elite two-way bigs, although his defensive impact has decreased in recent years.
Davis is also 32 years old and is going to miss at least the next six weeks with a hand injury. At this point in his career, he's far too unreliable to sacrifice any major assets for in a trade.
While it's still possible that Atlanta makes a bold move for Davis before the trade deadline, the more realistic scenario would be them pivoting elsewhere. One thing's for sure: they're going to explore many ways to potentially improve their frontcourt ahead of February 5th.
One situation that would make sense to monitor is that of the Sacramento Kings. Despite having a roster full of veterans and long-term salary commitments, they find themselves with an astonishingly bad 10-30 record through 40 games.
If any team would be willing to participate in a firesale at the deadline, it's the Kings. It would be the most logical path forward for an organization with as little hope in the immediate future as them.
If they were to decide to field calls for several of their core pieces, the Hawks should be one of the first teams on the line. Of all their players who could potentially be on the block, Domantas Sabonis makes the most sense as a top target for a team in dire need of help in the frontcourt.
He's been hurt for most of the season but is on track to return to action soon. Don't worry, Sabonis doesn't have a track record of missing significant time. He's played at least 70 games in each of the prior three seasons.
As a player, Sabonis would fit seamlessly into the Hawks' starting lineup. His current form is a solid estimate for Onyeka Okongwu's peak, and he adds a level of rebounding that hasn't been seen in Atlanta for quite some time.
His presence would immediately solve two major issues for Atlanta: rebounding and durability. The interior defense, however, would remain unsolved. As special as an offensive player Sabonis has become over the years, he struggles on the other end, making his fit with Jalen Johnson questionable.
There's also the money. The three-time All-Star is set to make at least $45 million for the next three seasons, with no option at the end of his contract. It would be a large financial commitment, but not nearly as much as a trade for Anthony Davis would be.
As the trade deadline approaches, the Hawks are set to be one of the more active teams in conversations around the league. In Onsi we trust.