Copyright Heavy.
It’s been a rough ten months for Dallas Mavericks fans, but the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. After trading away Luka Doncic, the Mavericks played a part in the last two seasons, totally underperforming. On Tuesday, the trade and its aftermath cost general manager Nico Harrison his job. The only silver lining is that Dallas landed Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft. He is yet to be put in a position to succeed, but with Harrison gone, that could change. The Mavericks have been urged to trade veterans like Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, and even Anthony Davis. The center/forward came to Dallas in the Doncic trade, but as the franchise turns to a Flagg-based future, Davis could be the odd man out. Insider Reveals Dallas Mavericks’ Trade Stance Despite a rich injury history, Davis is still one of the best players in the NBA. Does he fit the Mavericks’ timeline? Does he actually hinder Flagg more than help? Those are the questions that both the player and the team will need to answer in the coming weeks. Apparently, Davis and the Mavericks will be working together to reach a decision surrounding his future in Texas. “It’s believed the Mavericks will work with Davis’ camp over the next two-plus months as they decide whether to pursue an in-season trade,” reported league insider Marc Stein on November 12. “Davis’ agent Rich Paul and Mavericks owner Patrick Dumont have established a relationship that features regular contact since they were introduced at the Mavericks’ Play-In Tournament victory in Sacramento in April. The parties are thus expected to work in concert to some degree on next steps.” Maybe Davis and the Mavericks will decide that he can impact winning in Dallas, keeping him in town. However, it seems a lot more likely–for now at least–that Davis will agree his talents are best suited on a win-now team with glaring holes in the frontcourt. One team best fits the bill. Chicago Bulls Make the Most Sense as Trade Partner The Chicago Bulls got off to a blistering start to the season, although they have since fallen back to Earth. Still, a core of Josh Giddey, Tre Jones, Matas Buzelis, and Ayo Dosunmu can compete in a weak Eastern Conference. All they need is a defensive-minded big man. By flipping Nikola Vucevic and Coby White, plus some draft picks, the Bulls can easily add Davis. Both players will be free agents at the end of this season. Davis is better than any player the Bulls could lure next summer. On top of that, Davis grew up in the Windy City and has long spoken highly of the basketball culture there. “In Chicago, it means a lot more to us because we are a basketball city,” Davis proclaimed in 2019. “We are the Mecca of basketball, you can quote me on that.” Believe me, Anthony, I will!
