With Anthony Davis out indefinitely, many are wondering what the Dallas Mavericks’ plan is for the star big man.
They are not among the worst teams in the NBA, but at best, they could contend for a Play-In spot.
What Route Does Anthony Davis Want the Mavericks To Take?
Ever since the Mavericks acquired him, Davis has missed plenty of games.
During his tenure in Dallas that began with the infamous Feb. 2, 2025 trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Lakers, Davis has played in just 29 games, underscoring why he’ll be in the spotlight until the NBA trade deadline passes.
Apparently, Davis has a preference for what he’d like to see unfold between now and then.
Marc Stein reported on The Stein Line that Davis’ preference would be to stay in Dallas. He also explained why Davis wants to remain with the team.
“As rough a ride as Davis’ first year as a Maverick has been … filled with injuries and seemingly non-stop negativity surrounding the franchise … one source close to the process insisted to me this week that the 32-year-old would welcome staying put for the rest of the season,” Stein wrote.
“Which is understandable. Going through a second straight in-season trade, after Davis’ world was rocked without warning by the ill-conceived (Luka) Dončić deal last Feb. 2, doesn’t sound terribly appealing unless the contract extension Paul is seeking is attached to the next trade.”
My latest is LIVE: The Anthony Davis Trade Outlook Latest.
Full story: https://t.co/yxEQ5AAH2Q pic.twitter.com/v57CPK34Hy
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 14, 2026
There is actually a deeper rationale than one may think. Even if Davis out for the season, the Mavericks can keep him and Kyrie Irving, who’s recovering from last season’s torn ACL, on the shelf, get another high lottery pick, and therefore significantly enhance the core consisting of the two veteran stars and 2025 first overall pick Cooper Flagg.
Suddenly, the team has some options.
Naturally, NBA players don’t like being traded if they’re perfectly content with their current situation. Just look at what Stein mentioned earlier about Davis.
He was fine in Los Angeles despite all the chaos leading up to the trade. Even if the Mavericks aren’t in the best place, there is a case to be made that they would be quite fearsome with their squad fully healthy.
The one caveat is that Davis is always hurt, and that’s been the problem since pretty much the moment he entered the NBA. However, he proved during his time with the Lakers how fearsome he is when fully healthy.
Dallas has the talent to be in that tier, but only if everyone is on the court with a clean bill of health.
