Trae Young rumors should force Mavericks' Anthony Davis trade talks into overdrive

The Atlanta Hawks are working with Trae Young and his agents to find a trade out of Atlanta, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, and this is great news for Dallas Mavericks fans who are hoping Anthony Davis gets moved ahead of the February 5 trade deadline. If Young gets traded by Atlanta, the door for the Hawks to acquire Davis will be ripped wide open, and things could get put into motion quickly.

The rumors surrounding the Hawks wanting Davis have been brewing for weeks, and Dallas has a mutual interest in making a deal work with Atlanta as well. They are the perfect destination for the star big man, as the Mavericks would get him out of their conference while being able to acquire expiring contracts and potentially some young talent and draft capital.

Clearing up cap space and bringing in young assets are two of the Mavericks' priorities in any trade that involves Davis, as it would put them in the best position possible to build around Cooper Flagg. Dallas has set their sights on a new era with Flagg as the star of the show, and trading Davis and accumulating as many assets as possible for him may be the best way to get the ball rolling.

Why Trae Young rumors could unlock an Anthony Davis trade for Dallas

The Hawks have been reported as the Mavericks' preferred trade partner for Davis, but these talks have slowed down recently. Nothing in the NBA gets done without a deadline, and neither side is in a rush to make a deal.

Atlanta isn't even willing to trade Zaccharie Risacher in a move for Davis at this point, and it has seemed like the Mavericks and Hawks were much further away from pulling off a trade than before. Now, with Young possibly heading elsewhere, this would set up the Mavericks perfectly to send Davis to the Hawks.

Young's hefty contract would probably get swapped for expiring deals, making Atlanta much more comfortable to trade for Davis and give him the extension he will be asking for this offseason. Keeping Young while also bringing in Davis would force the Hawks into a nightmare cap situation for the summer, but all signs are pointing to Young getting a one-way flight out of Atlanta at some point over the next month.

The Hawks are playing much better when Young is out of the lineup compared to when he is healthy, and the possibility of Atlanta getting out of the Trae Young business has been growing for some time now, even dating back to last year. One league source told The Smoking Cuban last season that Young would be the "next" star player on the move following the shocking Luka Doncic trade, and recent developments suggest he could be leaving before the trade deadline.

The Hawks don't view him as a cornerstone of their franchise anymore, and he may be on the move imminently. Dallas knows this, and a three-team deal with Atlanta, the Mavericks, and Young's next team could be key in accelerating these conversations.

Young getting traded could ultimately lead to the Mavericks trading Davis to the Hawks, and these next few weeks will be pivotal when it comes to Atlanta's level of interest in the 10-time All-Star big man.