The Dallas Mavericks are enduring a disappointing season, a reality that positions Anthony Davis as a prime trade target. The Mavericks hold a 13-23 record, and the Luka Dončić trade continues to linger nearly a year later. Kyrie Irving’s absence has been significant, and Cooper Flag has not received substantial support during his rookie year.
Davis still holds value, and Dallas can evaluate the potential return as teams are reportedly expressing interest in him.
Anthony Davis Is Drawing Interest From Two Eastern Conference Teams
Jake Fischer talked Tuesday about the initial interest in Anthony Davis as the trade deadline gets closer. He said there are only two teams that want Davis at the moment and are actively forming trade scenarios for him: the Toronto Raptors and the Atlanta Hawks.
“Their (Toronto Raptors) interest only has to grow the longer Jakob Poeltl is out due to injury, and the future of Toronto’s front court, both right now, and in the long term,” he said.
“What the Raptors think of him (Poeltl) moving forward will be as pertinent to anything the Raptors pursuit of any Anthony Davis trade.”
The Raptors are a surprise threat in the Eastern Conference this year. Standing at 22-15 and third in the conference, Toronto certainly makes sense as a destination for Davis. The big man has the championship experience and the talent to improve the team’s odds of winning a playoff series, or maybe even multiple.
Fischer identified Poeltl as the central piece in a potential trade. Poeltl is a reliable center who averages 9.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. His current injury status complicates any trade scenario, though Davis has also been prone to injuries.
Davis’s medical history makes it difficult for a franchise to commit its future to him, yet his ceiling remains high.
Atlanta is the other concrete Davis trade partner, something that feels ironic considering how in flux the Hawks are right now. Trae Young and his agents are reportedly working with the Hawks on a deal to move him away from the only team he has played for.
Could Davis and Young be traded for one another? At present, that does not appear likely. An NBA insider reports that the teams currently pursuing Young are the Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Los Angeles Clippers.
Davis going to Atlanta would be a separate transaction. The Hawks need to resolve the Young trade before moving on to Davis.
Expect a few more teams to get involved in the Davis trade market as the All-Star break approaches.
