Hawks likely must pivot from top trade target

The Atlanta Hawks have been one of the few teams consistently linked to Anthony Davis for weeks leading up to the trade deadline, and that noise only grew louder after Trae Young was traded, with ESPN’s Shams Charania suggesting a move for Davis could be coming down the pike.

“This Trae Young deal sets the Atlanta Hawks up with additional financial flexibility to be active on the trade front to land another big-name player, another major salary — and that being Anthony Davis in season,” Charania said on ESPN. “They are going to pursue Anthony Davis as a prime trade target with the Mavericks. This pursuit of Anthony Davis is really made possible because you get rid of this salary of Trae Young moving forward.”

The vibe from the Hawks fan base surrounding a potential Anthony Davis trade appears to be quite one-sided, with most pointing to his lengthy injury history as a reason to stay away. Well, Atlanta might not have much of a choice anymore because of that very injury history. Shams Charania reported on Friday that Davis suffered ligament damage in his hand and could miss multiple months.