Fresh Anthony Davis trade rumor could reveal a twist Cooper Flagg would love

The Dallas Mavericks still have a lot to unravel over the next few weeks, as the play of the team and Anthony Davis will likely dictate what direction Dallas goes in ahead of the trade deadline, but the Mavericks should try to get back Asa Newell if they elect to deal Davis to the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks are officially one of the teams that are expected to pursue Davis, and these recent rumors prime the Mavs to reunite Flagg with Newell.

Newell obviously wouldn't be Dallas' sole compensation if they traded Davis to Atlanta, but he played alongside Cooper Flagg at Montverde Academy and would be a fun addition to the Mavs' current roster. Adding a potential-filled prospect who also has a pre-existing relationship with Dallas' future superstar would be a huge plus for Flagg and the Mavericks, so adding Newell should be a must if Dallas deals with Atlanta for Davis.

Newell is a rangy 6-foot-10 forward/big, and has great upside as a versatile defender, though he still needs to polish his offensive game to carve out a long career in the league. However, Newell only recently turned 20 years old, so he has plenty of time to develop, and his impetus to be a rotation-caliber player would only increase playing alongside a manic worker and former teammate in Flagg.

Mavs should target Asa Newell in a potential Davis trade with Atlanta

Newell doesn't project as a tried-and-true rim protector, so it's not like he'd be giving Dallas the ultimate Dereck Lively II assurance amidst Lively II's health woes. Think of someone like Toumani Camara or even Jaden McDaniels at the high end, though, as a similar comparison for how Newell could look one day if he starts to hone in on his potential.

With Dallas not owning any of their first-round picks until 2031 besides this upcoming draft, adding this archetype of player that already has great chemistry with Flagg would be a huge development for the Mavericks, as Newell would join Ryan Nembhard, Max Christie, and potentially Lively II as building blocks that fit Flagg's timeline perfectly.

Atlanta is one of the few teams that has been mentioned as a trade candidate for Davis that Dallas could elect to get more of a win-now return from. For this reason, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Hawks deal Trae Young to Dallas in a potential Davis swap due to how well Atlanta is playing with Jalen Johnson leading the way amidst a multi-week absence from Young.

However, Newell is on a favorable rookie salary of about $3.2 million this season, so the Mavericks would need to do whatever they can to poach Newell from Atlanta if they traded Davis there, even if the Mavericks don't get a smorgasbord of picks back in return and get someone like Young back in the deal as well.

The Mavericks must operate carefully if they wish to trade Davis this season, as they obviously won't get back what they gave up for him, but can't spiral further into disaster by settling for a bad Davis trade. The Hawks have one of the most intriguing potential trade packages for Davis, with Young at the forefront, but the Mavericks must secure Newell as a sweetener if they trade Davis to Atlanta for all the reasons mentioned above, regardless of what type of package they deal Davis to Atlanta for.