Recent reports suggested that the Dallas Mavericks are expected to test the trade market for veteran forward Anthony Davis following the firing of general manager Nico Harrison. However, Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban is trying to put an end to that speculation.
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Mark Cuban says Mavericks won’t trade Anthony Davis
“We’re not going to do it. We want to try to win,” Cuban responded when asked if he and Mavs governor Patrick Dumont would look to trade Davis, via Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
The Mavericks acquired Davis in the infamous Luka Doncic trade before the deadline last season, but that was before the Mavs got the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and used it on Cooper Flagg. Now, the logic behind a hypothetical Davis trade is that Davis doesn’t really fit into Dallas’ new Flagg-centric timeline, and trading him for other assets that do would make sense.
The same could be said for other veterans on the roster like Klay Thompson and even Kyrie Irving. Is it time for a total rebuild in Dallas? Cuabán says not now, but things can change quickly in the NBA.
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The Mavs currently occupy 13 spotsth in the West with a 4-11 record. If things don’t improve before the trade deadline in February, perhaps Cuban’s stance on Davis could change.
The fact that Davis’ trade value is supposedly low could also be a factor in Cuban’s stance. Davis currently has two years and more than $120 million remaining on his current contract, which includes a player option for the 2027-28 season. It’s a high price to pay for a 32-year-old who suffers frequent injuries.
So for now, Davis, who is currently sidelined with a calf strain, will remain a Maverick. Perhaps his eventual return to action will help the team climb out of the cellar in the Western Conference. But this is not the end of the story just because Cuban says so.
If the Mavericks continue to struggle, Davis’ future will remain a topic of conversation, at least until the trade deadline. That’s how things are in the NBA, as Cuban knows well.