Anthony Davis' next team after the Mavericks couldn't be clearer

The Hawks traded Trae Young nearly a whole month before the deadline, shifting the NBA's attention to Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks. A trade needs to happen, and after what ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday evening, it's clear where AD will end up — Atlanta.

With Young's salary for this season (and his looming $49 million player option) off the Hawks' books, they can pursue another player, like Davis, with a large salary. Charania said that AD is a "prime in-season trade target" for Atlanta.

A trade won't be easy for the Hawks, as CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, the two players they received in the return package for Young, can't be aggregated in a trade, but Atlanta can trade either player separately. That won't help the team get Davis, though.

A deal would have to involve Zaccharie Risacher, Luke Kennard, and Kristaps Porziņġis. NBA insider Marc Stein previously reported that the Hawks are open to trading Risacher, but only in the "right scenario." Stein added that the Hawks reportedly don't think that trading the 2024 No. 1 pick in a deal for Davis meets that criteria (subscription required).

Now that Young is officially out the door, though, Atlanta could change its mind on that, if it hasn't already. It's noteworthy that Charania specifically linked Davis to the Hawks after the trade went down on Wednesday.

Anthony Davis is still a 'prime' trade target for the Hawks

On Wednesday, before the Trae trade chaos went down, Christian Clark and Sam Amick of The Athletic reiterated that Dallas "doesn't feel like it must deal Davis before the deadline." There is still a desire to see Davis, Cooper Flagg, and Kyrie Irving share the floor.

However, Clark and Amick added that AD's representatives don't believe the Mavericks will extend him this summer, and that there's a "strong desire" for Dallas to trade him to a team where an extension will happen (subscription required). Rich Paul represents Davis, and as The Athletic noted, the Klutch Sports CEO has no issue with doing whatever it takes to get his clients to wherever they want to go.

There are still over three weeks until the deadline, and plenty of time for Paul to make that happen. It would be in the Mavericks' best interest anyway, especially if it means getting Risascher to pair alongside Flagg. No need to wait around to see what AD could do with Flagg and Irving — trade him while he is healthy.