{"id":175522,"date":"2026-02-02T08:29:46","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T13:29:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=175522"},"modified":"2026-02-02T08:31:06","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T13:31:06","slug":"hawks-cant-let-anthony-davis-trade-slip-through-fingers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/02\/02\/hawks-cant-let-anthony-davis-trade-slip-through-fingers\/","title":{"rendered":"Hawks Can’t Let Anthony Davis Trade Slip Through Their Fingers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis<\/a>‘s latest injury, the Atlanta Hawks’ pursuit of the 10-time All-Star has stalled. Even after he corrected off-center reports about his recovery timeline, the probability of them attaining his services dropped off a cliff. However, it’s been a little over two weeks since the Mavericks said Davis’s non-shooting hand would be re-evaluated in six weeks<\/a>. Now in February, the notion of Davis returning to the court as early as early March (or late February) seems to be less daunting than it did on Jan. 13.<\/p>\n

It’s Time For Hawks To Rev Up Anthony Davis Trade Talks<\/h2>\n

All of that being said, the Hawks should get the Mavs back on the phone, if they haven’t already. In legitimate need of a roster upgrade, Davis is an all-world talent in a buy-low situation<\/a> that they can’t let slip through their fingers. More than that, he’s one of the few players who addresses several<\/em> of Atlanta’s needs.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

<\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Why He Fits The Hawks<\/h3>\n

For the most part, Davis’s tools fit the way that Hawks head coach Quin Snyder has been using Onyeka Okongwu<\/a> and Kristaps Porzingis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Offense<\/h4>\n

Davis is able to score from all three levels, operate as an initiator or lob threat in the pick-and-roll, and be a playmaker inside of the arc. He can handle the ball and make long outlet passes, making him a dynamic player in the open court as well. His quick decision-making, which highlights his IQ, doesn’t get talked about enough.<\/p>\n

The biggest difference will be that Davis isn’t as trigger-happy from long range. At the same time, the Hawks aren’t a team that gets to the charity stripe much, ranking 29th in free-throw attempt rate (22.9%). To that point, while Okongwu’s averaging 2.7 free-throw attempts per game this season, Davis has averaged 7.0 free-throw attempts per game for his career.<\/p>\n

Defense<\/h4>\n

At the other end, Davis is capable of protecting the paint and guarding out in space. Indeed, he’s always been one of the more fluid big men in the NBA in spite of his length. As a shot-blocker, his timing and technique may stand out more than his physical gifts, which is saying something.<\/p>\n

Rebounds<\/h4>\n

Davis’s height and easy athleticism definitely help him on the defensive boards too, though his unmitigated desire to pull down the boards makes the biggest difference. It’s worth mentioning that Atlanta ranks 22nd in defensive rebound percent (73.4).<\/p>\n

He’s also a machine on the offensive glass. In fact, Davis ranks 13th in career offensive rebounds (2,148). That’s notably over 100 more than Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic<\/a> (2,084), over 200 more than New York Knicks forward-center Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a> (1,945), and over 300 more than Sacramento Kings big man Domantas Sabonis<\/a> (1,806). Keeping that in mind, the Hawks rank 25th not only in total rebounds (42.2) but in offensive rebounds (10.0) per game.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

<\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Shot-Blocker, Safety Net<\/h3>\n

As previously mentioned, it’s the Hawks’ defense that really needs to be fixed up. All in all, they rank 24th in opponent’s points per game (118.3) and 23rd in opponent’s field goal percentage (.477). They also rank 24th in opponent’s 2-point percentage (.561), 23rd in opponent’s 2-point field goal conversions per game (29.8) and 19th in opponent’s free-throws per game.<\/p>\n

This is largely a personnel issue.<\/p>\n

Trae Young<\/a> (traded), Vit Krejci<\/a> (traded), and Luke Kennard<\/a>‘s defense hadn’t or haven’t been up to snuff, in particular. Newcomers Corey Kispert<\/a> and CJ McCollum<\/a> have held up better than expected but still have flaws. For every player in this group, aside from Okongwu, the issue is either a lack of lateral agility or recovery speed. Okongwu’s weaknesses are also physical, as he looks more like a small forward than center trying to protect the paint. However, his primary issue has been effort, as he consistently fails to complete closeouts or gives up on plays<\/a>.<\/p>\n

AD To The Rescue<\/h4>\n

Snyder can’t be completely excused. The Hawks look too out-of-sorts too frequently when forced to rotate. Though having personnel with better physical tools or defensive instincts would help, it’s his job to make sure the players he does have aren’t out there chasing ghosts.<\/p>\n

Davis can’t solve all of these problems by himself. However, respected and dedicated rim-protectors often give defenses a safety net. If one of his teammates get beat off the dribble, their man will run into a 6-foot-11 big with 1,848 career blocks, the second-most among active players.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

<\/smartframe-embed><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

His Offense Isn’t Declining, So It’ll Be Elevating<\/h3>\n

A 14-year NBA veteran, Davis holds career averages of 24.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Though he’ll be turning 33 years old on March 11, age has not affected his numbers. Over the past three seasons, he’s averaging 24.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 34.2 minutes per game. Since 2020-21, he’s been averaging 24.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 34.1 minutes per game.<\/p>\n

In 2025-26, Davis has averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 31.3 minutes per game. However, his downshift in scoring should be attributed to in-game injuries that brought down his averages. Let’s take a closer look.<\/p>\n

The Injuries Behind The Downtick<\/h4>\n