Blockbuster Trade Idea to Give Dallas Mavericks, Anthony Davis a Clean Break

Anthony Davis wasn't so sure about playing for the Chicago Bulls the last time his future was up in the air, but he might be more open to embracing a hometown that would hug him back, especially now he knows what it's like to be the walking embodiment of a fanbase's derision.

The 32-year-old didn't trade himself to the Dallas Mavericks, but he will be "the guy we got for Luka Dončić" as long as he's there. The focus on him will only intensify now that Nico Harrison is gone.

AD needs a fresh start, and the Mavs must move on, orienting themselves around Cooper Flagg, flexibility and future assets. If they can land a point guard to alleviate their biggest roster hole in the process, all the better.

Let's get the Bulls back on the right track after their strong start gave way to a swoon; let's also hit refresh on the Mavericks by allowing Davis to escape a hostile environment he had no part in creating.

The Trade

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Chicago Bulls Acquire: Anthony Davis

Dallas Mavericks Acquire: Nikola Vučević, Coby White, Kevin Huerter, 2028 first-round pick (top-four protected), 2029 first-round swap

Why Chicago Does It

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If Davis is healthy*, he would give the fast-paced Bulls a lob threat and defensive anchor they don't currently possess—all while theoretically making life easier for younger cornerstones Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis by providing back-line support and interior offensive punch.

The cost is high at $58.5 million next season plus a $63 million player option in 2027-28, but the Bulls' books are otherwise pretty clean and can withstand a relatively short-term payroll spike.

Plus, of the $52.3 million in outgoing salary here, Coby White is probably the only player the Bulls would prioritize keeping around on a new deal. Even he might fall into the asset category of "get something for him while you can" because Chicago may not be keen to pay market rates for a player who would be superfluous next to Giddey, the franchise's clear lead ball-handler of the future.

White's worth to Chicago may be even lower relative to the market if the team intends to expand Buzelis' on-ball role going forward. An offense designed to feature Giddey and Buzelis on the perimeter needs less creation and more of the defense, rebounding and interior scoring Davis provides.

Through the first month of the season, Chicago allowed the highest share of opponent shots at the rim in the entire league. White, Vooch and Huerter aren't going to help on that front—now or in the future.

Lastly, by only surrendering one outright first-rounder, the Bulls don't mortgage much of their future. If Davis is good enough to help keep Chicago out of the lottery, the price could certainly be right.

*This is a major uncertainty—so large it might not fit inside Lake Michigan.

Why Dallas Does It

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Start with the philosophical reason: Dallas needs to turn the page and prioritize a future built around Flagg, Dereck Lively II and optionality.

With Harrison gone, the Mavericks can view their situation with clearer eyes and without the concept of being pot committed to Davis.

If AD's health continues to be unreliable, those Bulls picks might give Dallas a couple of cracks at high lottery selections just as Flagg and Lively get more expensive. Perfect timing to infuse the roster with cheap, high-upside talent.

Financially, clearing Davis' $58.5 million from next year's ledger and replacing it with zero dollars in 2026-27 commitments would result in real spending power, leaving Kyrie Irving as the only Mavs player earning more than $18 million (roughly 11.0 percent of the salary cap).

White is a high-end starter and fringe All-Star in his prime who could keep Dallas competitive this season and ensure Flagg benefits from being set up for easy shots, rather than having to create them for himself.

A free agent this summer, White would be a great candidate to either back up or play alongside Irving in looks that turn this year's playmaking deficit into a surplus.

A backcourt of Irving and White might normally be vulnerable on D, but not with Flagg, PJ Washington and Lively on the front line. All three can move in space and rebound, and the Flagg-Washington combo could routinely defend the quick guards Irving and White can't.

Davis is a superstar when he's right, but he's expensive, injury-prone and doesn't fit the timeline in Dallas. More than that, trading him would allow the Mavs to start afresh.

That's best for everybody.

Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.

Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.