It’s not going to be at all surprising to me if a year from now Davis is having a 65-75 game season as a 33 year old while going deep into the playoffs paired with Jalen Johnson and everyone is collectively like “oh yeah, I guess having an all-nba DPOY level big when paired with an elite offensive talent can actually work… shame he only played 1 game with Kyrie before the Mavs dumped him”

I’ve said it many times, but Nico’s basic blueprint for this was the 2008 Celtics he watched defeat Kobe in 2008. He was thinking Kyrie would be his Pierce and Davis would be his KG. He was thinking Klay would be his Ray (his biggest reach). KG was 31 at the time. Then KG got hurt the next year. Then year 3, the 33 year old KG helped the Celtics get back to the Finals. Nico was a big time Kobe dickrider back then and I dont’ think his basketball knowledge really extends beyond what he saw as a Nike executive so he was clearly thinking “Either you have Kobe or you have the team that beat Kobe…and I’ve decided Luka isn’t Kobe. My Kobe Bean would have never allowed himself to get fat or be a matador on defense”

FWIW, two years later 34 year old Pierce with 35 year old KG and his uncut gem went to game 7 in the ECF against Lebron’s Big 3 Heat. They basically had a 5 year window. I’m 100% convinced this was in Nico’s small brained head when he formed this team and on some level he wasn’t entirely wrong. It was an insane trade because of health and age that CAN still work in the short term, but everyone is writing them off because they are still understandably upset about Luka and they are collectively pretending Kyrie doesn’t exist.

The pendulum’s swung too far the other way, AD is still eite. If the Hawks have a core of Trae-Daniels-NAW-Jalen-OO-AD that’s far better than a Play-In Tournament. They’d definitely contend for the East.

AD is one of the best players in the league. I understand the health concern but realistically, Dallas is probably being overprotective of him this year.

He’ll be sitting on the bench in street clothes, so the cameras will constantly be able to get a good shot of him! That’s why he’ll be the face of the tournament…

Why are people so unfunny

King of the Play-In!

Yeah just stay the course, really been working out

It all depends on the cost

They are turning a young guy they don’t believe in and a guy that doesn’t play and some other cap filler into AD by attaching a first or two. It’s pretty low risk high reward for them I don’t understand the negativity against it. Worse case scenario they don’t extend him and he becomes an expiring the year after.

As both Hawks and Spurs fan, in very torn about it, jk that idea is shite it’s free picks for the Spurs it’s an OBVIOUS thing to not do, and Onsi isn’t that dumb I swear

I feel like Jalen Johnson and AD can play well with each other

spurs are hoping they are

As long as they don’t give up the pelicans pick or Jalen they’re good

Just seems like speculation from Haynes, who is frequently wrong.

They fumbled building off that insane 2021 ECF run.

Still trying to find a 3rd team to move Trae to

Raptors

KP + salary to make it work.

It would’ve been hilarious if, after trading away Luka because he doesn’t play defense, the Mavs ended up turning him into Trae.

No one in their right mind will say that Davis isn’t a star caliber player. The concern has always been his availability

I don’t think anyones arguing he’s not a star when on the court.

It’s just that he’s barely able to get on the court

They clown Davis because he can’t stay healthy. What’s the point of having a star player when he is never available.

Nobody doubts his abilities. It’s just that he’s often just as valuable as I am to a team due to health

The Mavs are like ⁴⁄₁₁ without AD or something, he’s a great player the Mavs just neeed to get younger for the sake of coop

Yea. For the 2 dozen games he’ll play the rest of the season if they’re lucky.

Yea he shines real bright from the fucking bench

Same with the warriors. Kuminga dray and 1frp? Sure. 2frps? Ehhh

Tales of the undersized and overinjured

I thought they wanted Trae gone too?

Edit: Not for AD, but in another trade.

krejci plays over wallace

Would be crazy to give up on a 20 y/o nr. 1 pick who looked good last season, for AD at this point in his career. Maybe he won’t end up being good but why not take the chance when they are already not winning this season and getting a top pick in 2026

No thanks on hawks giving up anything more than risacher. Keep our picks pls

Doesn’t it make more sense for flagg to play the 4 and risacher at the 3? Or is this more concerns that risacher isn’t good enough to start?

Is irving and lively kept off due to injury?

It might be an AND tbf. I highly doubt they move that Pelicans pick.

What finals?

That brotha tears his groin wherever he goes

He has the second most reported injuries on an injury report behind LeBron who has played 23 years now 

Who exactly do you think the Hawks are lol they’re not an AD away from making the Finals especially given his health issues 

I get it - you can make the Finals this year in the dogshit East with Davis and Johnson OR hope to make the conference finals in 5 years with Johnson and Cam Boozer. Wise move, Hawks. Very cool.

Hawks don’t own their own pick until 2028 so they can’t tank and they can get AD without trading the Pelicans pick.

5 years and they’d take AJ or Peterson much better fit than Boozer when both he and JJ play the 4

Or you give them a 2 year window and if the team doesn’t win you let them come off the books and rebuild. Not saying it’s a good idea but I don’t see why trading for AD has to involve extending him especially if the deal ends up being KP and some filler (not Zacch or Asa) 

Onsi about to execute the first terrorist attack on Atlanta with this trade

If he could ever stay healthy, I’d love to see the Davis/Haliburton pairing. Wouldn’t want to gamble it though

Holy shit that’s brilliant.. where were you when Nico was shopping Luka ?

Someone said Haynes is locked into AD’s agent. 

If that’s correct, it’s more likely that he’s trying to stir up more interest. 

Even I don’t rate Luka as highly as most people here

Have you seen this subreddit over the last months and especially lately? Saying I don’t rate Luka as highly as most here, means you got him as the 15th best player in the league given how he’s rated here.

Lol true

AD is a better player (by a moderate amount) and is available sometimes (vs basically unplayable). So it is a major upgrade, but says more a lot about the current situation the hawks are in.

It will be good for you and good for the NBA. You get a monster in AD and can be a top team in the east while making the finals now. And the NBA needs the next face of the NBA (flagg) to have a solid young supporting cast and for that to happen you’ll need to give us your pelicans pick.

Can’t imagine there’s a crazy market for AD or Trae’s contracts

What mistake did he make?

Yall want WAY too much for Giannis, f that

I was high on Nembhard but he’s put up a lot of 0 point games on like 30mins. After his generational record breaking run