Anthony Davis Trade Rumors Update and Mavs Ownership's Stance on Potential Deadline Deal
The Dallas Mavericks reportedly don't feel pressure to move Anthony Davis ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported earlier this month that the Mavs had "renewed trade talks around Davis," and TSN's Josh Lewenberg reported on Jan. 22 that Davis' agent Rich Paul "is said to be working tirelessly to force a trade" to a team that would offer him an extension.
ESPN's Tim MacMahon said on an episode of Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective that the Mavericks didn't feel that same urgency to move Davis.
"'Rich Paul is not going to bully us.' That is a direct quote from a member of the Mavericks organization," MacMahon said.
MacMahon continued, "[Mavs governor Patrick Dumont] is not going to sign off on a deal just to do a deal. Ownership doesn't feel any pressure to do an AD deal. A third source: Patrick has no problem going into next year, with a healthy Kyrie and a healthy AD alongside Cooper Flagg, and seeing what it looks like."
Davis has been sidelined since Jan. 8, and is expected to be sidelined for at least another month, with ligament damage in his left hand. Charania has previously reported this injury has limited what the Mavericks could get in a potential trade for Davis.
ESPN's Bobby Marks noted Tuesday that a potential Davis trade "would follow a recent pattern" of teams acquiring players who won't be able to contribute until the following seasons.
Marks compared a potential Davis deal to the Toronto Raptors trading for Brandon Ingram last February. Ingram had been sidelined for two months with a left ankle sprain at the time and ultimately did not play a game for the Raptors last season.
Ingram has returned this season to lead his team in scoring by averaging 21.5 points through 46 games.
Marks also compared the situation to the Wizards' trade for Trae Young, who has not played since Dec. 27 and won't be re-evaluated until after the All-Star break.
The Raptors could be hoping to improve their lottery position before getting Young back in the lineup next season. The Mavs, or whichever team Davis is playing for by the deadline, could potentially adopt the same strategy.
The Mavericks have nine days left to work out a potential trade for Davis, who is signed through next season with a 2027-28 player option but is reportedly seeking an extension this summer.
If he is still in Dallas past the deadline, the Mavs could potentially wait to see Davis play alongside Irving and Flagg before making the next long-term decision regarding his future.
