Mavericks' pipe-dream Anthony Davis trade return package is fading fast

The Dallas Mavericks have a high interest in trading for the New Orleans Pelicans' 2026 first-round pick that the Atlanta Hawks own, but Atlanta views this asset as nearly untouchable as the February 5 trade deadline rapidly approaches. The Mavericks and Hawks have mutual interest in making an Anthony Davis trade, but Atlanta is unwilling to part with the asset that Dallas seems to want most.

According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Hawks have "labeled the unprotected 2026 first-round draft pick from New Orleans as virtually untradeable heading into the deadline." It doesn't seem like the Hawks will be budging despite the Mavericks' interest in adding that draft pick to their limited stash, and Atlanta has played hardball in negotiations to this point.

This stance from Atlanta slams the door shut on a reality that Mavericks fans have been hoping for, and finding an ideal trade with the Hawks is beginning to look unrealistic for Dallas.

The Hawks are in no rush to make a trade for Davis, and the only thing that could speed this up is for them to move on from Trae Young sooner rather than later. The Hawks and Young's camp are actively searching for a trade out of Atlanta, and the aftershock of this type of move could help get Davis on the move as well.

Hawks won't part with the Pelicans' pick despite Dallas' interest

The Mavericks don't want to absorb Young's contract in any move that involves Davis, but they aren't having much luck pushing for the assets that they actually want.

It's not just draft assets that the Hawks aren't wanting to discuss. They highly value many of their assets, including the 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher.

The Mavs have also shown interest in Risacher, but the Hawks aren't ready to move on from him, despite multiple teams from around the league calling Atlanta about him. Risacher and the Pelicans' pick in the draft this summer are two of the assets that Dallas should be chasing hard, and while landing Risacher could become a possibility through a few weeks of negotiation, that draft pick is out of the picture.

This pick isn't just any asset. It's an optimal chance at drafting a young superstar to add to your young core, and we haven't seen a draft class this strong in years.

Many of the top players in this draft will grow into future stars, and landing one of these players would immediately speed up the Mavericks' timeline to winning a title soon.

Every team in the NBA should be interested in New Orleans' first-round pick that Atlanta possesses this summer, as they are currently tied with the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings for the best odds in the league to land the No. 1 overall pick. This year's draft class is loaded, and Dallas finding a way to get their hands on this pick would help them kick off the Cooper Flagg era strong.

Not only do the Mavericks already own their 2026 first-round pick, but they would also have the rights to the Pelicans' pick. This would give them two shots at moving up in the lottery and drafting a young star to pair with Flagg, and opportunities like this don't come around often.

Especially for the Mavericks.

After this year, Dallas doesn't fully control their own first-round pick until 2031, making this summer's draft extremely pivotal. They have to hit on their selection to give Flagg a young running mate of the future, and having two chances to do this is too good an opportunity to pass up.

If Dallas misses in this summer's draft, they likely won't have the chance to draft a homegrown star for at least five years. The clock is already ticking on the Flagg era with how depleted the Mavericks' draft assets are, and landing a pick of this magnitude would help turn back the clock a bit and guarantee a strong core moving forward.

In a perfect world, the Mavericks would trade Davis and other assets to Atlanta for a package that includes New Orleans' pick, but the Hawks aren't interested in making such a move under any circumstances. Mavericks fans who are dreaming about acquiring this draft asset need to keep dreaming, as the chances of them acquiring this coveted draft selection seem like a pipe dream.