The Atlanta Hawks are officially in a new era after trading Trae Young to the Washington Wizards. There’s no sugarcoating how big a shift that is. For over seven years, everything ran through the now 26-year-old, who seemed destined to bring ATL to new heights.
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He got close in 2021 when the Hawks battled their way to the Eastern Conference Finals. It seemed like an improbable run, including becoming the biggest heel in New York when he single-handedly dominated the Knicks. But that was now five years ago, and the franchise has hovered around the middle of the pack ever since.
Moving forward, Atlanta will be searching for a new identity. With Young gone and the All-Star break being here, the front office will hopefully be looking to make some big moves before the deadline. According to reporter Chris Haynes, Atlanta could be making a big swing for All-Star big man Anthony Davis. In fact, he claims that AD has always been a piece they’ve wanted to add.
“Their pursuit was AD, period. They haven’t abandoned that. So that’s still the case. I do believe they are in a much better position to accomplish that now,” stated Haynes on SiriusXM NBA Radio, implying that with Trae gone, getting the future Hall of Famer is a real possibility.
It honestly would be a good fit for Davis. He’s entering what some may consider the final leg of his career, and helping shape the culture in the ATL as a veteran could truly benefit a team looking for someone to call captain. However, it might not be that easy. Haynes reminds the listeners that Dallas isn’t going to let Davis go for nothing, especially since he was connected to the franchise’s latest dark spot, the Luka Doncic trade.
“I do believe they’re in much better position to accomplish that now”@ChrisBHaynes feels trading Trae Young could help land Anthony Davis in Atlanta with @talkhoops
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— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) January 8, 2026
“But again, there are still some sticking points. The Dallas Mavericks…they are playing hard ball. They want to make sure they’re…again, this flip of AD will still have some type of connection that they did to trade Luka. You have to think about that as well.”
It’s a valid point. The Mavs fired former GM Nico Harrison because of his decision to deal the Don to the Lakers. It looked worse when AD, who Dallas got in return, immediately went down with an injury. But with Kyrie Irving nearing a return, and Dallas already in limbo, maybe they get something back for sending him to the Hawks.
What’s crazier is that Trae going to Washington for CJ McCullum and Corey Kispert and no draft picks is wild. It shows that Atlanta was just ready to end the relationship after the superstar point guard soured on the organization when they refused to give him a super max contract.
But if that sets in motion the momentum of AD getting sent to a franchise that still values him despite the miles he’s put on his body, then maybe this is a shakeup that will truly cement the East going forward.
What this really comes down to is patience, something Atlanta hasn’t had much of in recent years. Chasing another star right away could keep the Hawks competitive, but it also risks repeating the same cycle that left them stuck in a purgatory-like state after that ’21 run.
There’s an opportunity here to slow things down, let roles develop for guys like Jalen Johnson, and see who actually fits long-term instead of forcing the next headline move. Whether they resist that urge or double down on star hunting will say a lot about how much this new era actually changes.
