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With a month until the NBA trade deadline on Feb. 5, we are now entering the time of year where rumors get stronger about players who could be on the move and the teams that are interested in them.  This year there are a handful of big names popping up as trade targets, with Anthony Davis in Dallas and Trae Young in Atlanta among the headliners as two former All-Stars that are known to be available. 

On Monday, we got some updates on the status of trade talks involving those two, as well as a rare public comment on a trade rumor from an NBA owner. Let's take a spin around the NBA rumor mill and roundup the latest buzz in the Association. 

Trae Young, Hawks working on a trade, Wizards have 'legitimate' interest

It appears the Trae Young Era will be ending in Atlanta in the coming month. The Hawks and Young's agents are working on finding a trade that will send the All-Star guard out of Atlanta, per ESPN. Young has spent seven-and-a-half seasons in Atlanta and has made four All-Star teams.

Trading Trae Young is a tricky proposition for Atlanta, because with a $49 million player option for next year, Young will want to go somewhere that will offer him a big extension this summer. Finding a team that views Young as that level of star worth a significant investment isn't easy, but a division rival of the Hawks may be the answer. 

According to Marc Stein, the Washington Wizards are a "legitimate potential trade destination" for Young and a deal for the former All-Star guard could utilize CJ McCollum's expiring contract to make the money work. Washington is a team in the midst of their third straight season of tanking, and must view Young as the kind of player worth adding to try and take the next step as a team next season. 

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Sam Quinn
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We don't often see teams make trades in their division, but the Hawks -- who have also recently been linked to Anthony Davis -- won't have the luxury of being picky in Young talks. If they can move him without taking on long-term money and can get back something in the way of a positive asset, they would likely be thrilled. This season was always going to be pivotal for the relationship between Young and the Hawks, and the way Atlanta has played without Young on the floor and with Jalen Johnson as their top star has made it clear Young's long-term future isn't as the Hawks' top option.

For his part, Young is "openminded" to a trade, as ESPN's Marc Spears reported, although he is not outright demanding one. While going to a team that is rebuilding would put Young back in the place the Hawks were last year, if the Wizards are willing to pay him big money this summer he probably wouldn't mind a move to the nation's capital. 

Ishbia makes bold Dillon Brooks claim

The Phoenix Suns have been one of the NBA's most pleasant surprises this season, currently sitting seventh in the West at 21-14 after their latest win came on a Devin Booker buzzer-beater against the Thunder. The vibes in the desert are drastically different than they were last year when their star-studded roster was imploding, but some have posited they could try to sell high on some players as they look to a quick rebuild and reload in Phoenix. 

Former NBA player DeMarcus Cousins threw out Dillon Brooks as a guy the Lakers should target, and suggested they trade Austin Reaves to Phoenix for Brooks. While you'd expect Lakers fans to push back on that deal given Reaves' emergence as a legit star this season, it was Suns owner Mat Ishbia who issued the strongest response to Cousins' idea, proclaiming on social media the Suns wouldn't be interested in that deal and that Brooks is "not going anywhere." 

That's quite the vote of confidence for Brooks, who is averaging a career-high 21.4 points per game in his first season in Phoenix after being acquired from Houston in the Kevin Durant trade this summer. 

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Dillon Brooks
PHO • SF • #3
PPG21.4
APG1.7
SPG1.28
3P/G2.379
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Many wondered if he could be gettable for a contender looking for a jolt on the wing, but Ishbia put up a very public "not for sale" sign on Monday to shut down those rumblings. While there's still a month for things to change, it certainly seems like Phoenix is planning on giving this group a chance to see what they can do in a surprisingly strong campaign. 

Anthony Davis prefers extension in Dallas to trade

When the Mavericks fired GM Nico Harrison, all signs pointed to an Anthony Davis trade being the next domino in Dallas. The problem for Dallas is, Davis wants a massive extension this summer and given his injury history, not a lot of teams are lining up to trade for him knowing what he'll be asking for in his next deal. 

It's been nearly two months since Davis rumors started and there hasn't been any indication any team has gotten particularly deep in discussions with Dallas about the star. With one month left until the deadline, there's a real question as to whether anyone will make the Mavs an offer they're interested in. With that in mind, ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported on Monday that Davis would rather stay in Dallas and sign an extension than get traded -- and if he is dealt, he'll be expecting an extension to be awaiting him as part of the deal. 

Davis is owed $120 million over the next two years -- including a $63 million player option for 2027-28 -- and will be eligible for a four-year, $275 million extension this summer. Not a lot of teams want to make that kind of offer, and what would be more interesting is where would Dallas draw in the line in negotiations if they don't move him. 

It's clear given the trade rumors surrounding him they don't view him as the centerpiece of the future on a team that includes No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, which begs the question of why they'd commit to a huge, long-term deal if they can't get the return they want for him. While no team wants to see a star walk for nothing, there's an argument one could make that Dallas would be better off with that as an outcome than giving Davis that kind of extension.