Well, the Anthony Davis dream is dead for the Atlanta Hawks. It's dead for everyone, to be fair, as Davis is potentially out for the season with ligament damage in his hand. That's a bummer for everyone involved and now it's time for the Hawks to change course — Daniel Gafford, another big man on the Mavs, could be a solid consolation prize for the Hawks.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Hawks are in the mix for Gafford, but they're not alone:
"...I have heard a rival executive or two posit that the teams do have the option of pivoting to a potential Daniel Gafford swap that takes Risacher out of the haggling completely if they wish. Atlanta is said to have some interest in the Dallas big man alongside Indiana and Boston..."
Indiana wanting to buy at the trade deadline is strange, but Boston makes a lot of sense with their stunning season and frontcourt depth.
Daniel Gafford would be a good pickup for the Atlanta Hawks
Gafford has been a good NBA center for about five years; he's a great rim protector and catches lobs with the best of them. He would be a helpful addition to the Hawks' frontcourt that continues to deal with an injured Kristaps Porzingis.
He wouldn't, however, be the impact player that Davis would have been, and it's hard to justify this as the move for the Hawks if they actually still want to convince fans they're trying to compete, which it seems like they are based on their interest in Davis.
Adding Gafford, CJ McCollum, and Corey Kispert are all productive moves on their own, but fall short of being splashy enough to make a team competitive. They're the kind of moves that strengthen a competitive team even more. The bad news is that Atlanta hasn't been competitive this year.
And maybe that's what the Hawks want! Maybe Davis was going to be their big swing and not landing him (through no fault of their own) has made them rethink their strategy for this season. Maybe this is essentially a half-punt on the season, with GM Onsi Saleh not wanting to sacrifice any future assets while also adding enough talent to make the postseason and maybe sneak into a series win.
If that's not the case, then Gafford can't be the final move. Scour the market for other guys; get Jerami Grant from Portland, get Michael Porter Jr. from Brooklyn, get someone who makes the other additions look like complementary trades.