3-team Trade to Start Dallas Mavericks' Rebuild, Send Anthony Davis to Chicago Bulls

The Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic are still alive in the race for the 2024-25 NBA championship, but they likely won't be much longer.

Whenever they join the Chicago Bulls among the teams already headed into the offseason, all three should get together on a trade that would improve the Magic and Bulls right now while giving the Mavericks an out after their disastrous mid-season Luka Dončić deal.

Let's break down the framework of that three-teamer, along with explanations for why each organization would be wise to consider it.

The Deal

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Nikola Vucevic and Jonathan Isaac

Let's first break down all of the moving pieces for each team:

Bulls Receive: Anthony Davis and Gary Harris

Bulls Lose: Nikola Vučević, Zach Collins and Kevin Huerter, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick swap and a top-five-protected 2030 first-round pick

Mavericks Receive: Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, Jonathan Isaac, a 2028 first-round pick from Chicago, a 2029 first-round pick swap from Chicago and a top-five-protected 2030 first-round pick from Chicago

Mavericks Lose: Anthony Davis and a top-50-protected 2030 second-round pick (via Philadelphia)

Magic Receive: Nikola Vučević and a top-50-protected 2025 second-round pick from Dallas (via Philadelphia)

Magic Lose: Jonathan Isaac and Gary Harris

As always, you're free to quibble over the number of picks, the level of protections on those picks and some of the smaller contracts involved.

The reasons each team should be willing to do something like this are based more on the foundational pieces of the trade.

Bulls Bring AD Home

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Bulls Receive: Anthony Davis and Gary Harris

Bulls Lose: Nikola Vučević, Zach Collins and Kevin Huerter, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick swap and a top-five-protected 2030 first-round pick

Homecoming stories are always fun in the NBA. We've been tantalized with the possibility of Anthony Davis returning to his hometown Bulls in the past. But the stars were never aligned for that reunion quite like they are right now.

The Bulls' post-Zach LaVine-trade surge made it clear that they have a backcourt ready to compete for more than play-in berths right now.

After the All-Star break, Josh Giddey averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game, while Coby White went for 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.7 three-pointers.

Their individual breakouts show they're worthy of an investment in a superstar big like AD. His rim protection and range as a defender could potentially transform the team on that end of the floor. His rim-running would make him a near-ideal complement for Giddey. And the attention he'd command inside would take pressure off both Giddey and White.

Two starters and multiple first-round picks is a steep price to pay, but the resulting roster could have Chicago competing for a top-six finish next season.

Mavericks Admit Defeat and Start Over

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Mavericks Receive: Zach Collins, Kevin Huerter, Jonathan Isaac, a 2028 first-round pick from Chicago, a 2029 first-round pick swap from Chicago and a top-five-protected 2030 first-round pick from Chicago

Mavericks Lose: Anthony Davis and a top-50-protected 2030 second-round pick (via Philadelphia)

Trading Davis might represent the biggest pill we've ever seen a front office have to swallow.

After trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, general manager Nico Harrison said "defense wins championships," claimed AD brought the Mavericks closer to contention (despite Dončić taking them to the Finals last year) and watched a not-so-subtle smear campaign targeting Luka's weight and work ethic.

Davis has to return Dallas to contention for this front office and ownership group to save any face, but that feels unlikely (to put it mildly). Kyrie Irving tore his ACL in early March and may miss a portion of next season. And the last time AD was the clear, unquestioned alpha for a team, his New Orleans Pelicans made the playoffs twice and got past the first round only once.

Davis and a supporting cast that made a lot more sense around Luka isn't good enough to contend in the loaded Western Conference. Right now, he'd make more sense as a Bull.

Chicago has some assets and contracts that could put the Mavs on track for a real rebuild. The picks are self-explanatory, and the deals coming back would offer almost immediate flexibility. Zach Collins and Kevin Huerter are both free agents in 2026, while Jonathan Isaac has only $8 million in guaranteed money remaining on his contract.

All three are good enough to play their way into the 2026 trade market, too. So, this deal could have a cascading effect for Dallas.

Moving Davis would be admitting defeat, but it may be the Mavericks' best and quickest way back to organizational stability.

Magic Add a Little Offense

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Nikola Vucevic

Magic Receive: Nikola Vučević and a top-50-protected 2030 second-round pick from Dallas (via Philadelphia)

Magic Lose: Jonathan Isaac and Gary Harris

Nikola Vučević turns 35 in October, and 2025-26 is the last year on his current contract. He isn't a long-term solution for Orlando's offensive woes, but he could certainly help in the upcoming season.

Vučević averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 threes this season while shooting 40.2 percent from deep. His outside shot would pull bigs from the paint, opening it up a bit for Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner's slashing. His passing would take some pressure off those two, who've often had to operate as lead playmakers from the forward position.

On paper, Vučević doesn't fit the Magic's defensive identity, but they also have enough perimeter defense to cover for his shortcomings in a way Chicago rarely did.

Getting that for two players who've often been injury risks and/or fringe rotation players would be worthwhile for Orlando.