The Anthony Davis trade situation in Dallas has taken a sharp turn - and not in the direction Mavericks fans were hoping for. With Davis now dealing with ligament damage in his hand, there’s a real possibility he misses the rest of the regular season. That’s not just a blow to the Mavs’ current campaign - it’s a major wrinkle in any plans they might’ve had to move him before the trade deadline.
According to a recent report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, NBA executives around the league are now predicting that Davis will remain in Dallas past the deadline. The reasoning?
His trade value has nosedived following the injury. Unless the Mavericks are willing to essentially salary-dump him - and forfeit any real return - Davis is likely staying put.
That’s a tough spot for Dallas. Before the injury, there was at least a pathway to getting something back - maybe a young player or a few future picks.
Nothing earth-shattering, but enough to start reshaping the roster around Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving. Now?
That door looks all but closed.
And let’s be honest - a straight-up salary dump doesn’t make much sense for where this team is headed. Cutting ties with Davis just to clear cap space, without bringing in any meaningful assets, would be a short-sighted move for a franchise that needs to be thinking long-term.
The Mavericks are building around a 20-year-old cornerstone in Flagg. Every move needs to support that vision.
Offloading Davis for financial flexibility alone doesn’t get you closer to that goal.
The bigger question might not be can the Mavericks trade Davis this offseason - it’s *will they even want to? * By the start of next season, Davis will be 33.
He’s now suffered serious injuries in back-to-back years with Dallas, and his availability is becoming a growing concern. That kind of track record makes it hard to get real value in a trade, especially if teams around the league are wary of his long-term health.
But there’s another side to this, too. Even with the injury concerns, Davis is still an elite-level center when healthy.
Pairing him with Kyrie and Flagg gives Dallas a trio that, on paper, can compete with just about anyone. Yes, the health risks are real.
But so is the upside. And if Davis can return to form next season, the Mavericks might be better off holding onto him - at least for now.
In the short term, though, this is a frustrating reality for a team that’s still in the hunt. Dallas sits just two games out of the final play-in spot, but the momentum isn’t exactly trending upward. Making the postseason would be a silver lining in a season full of setbacks, but it wouldn’t change the fact that the team missed a chance to reshape its future at the deadline.
So where does that leave things? Unless something unexpected happens, Mavs fans should brace themselves for the likelihood that Anthony Davis will still be on the roster when the 2026-27 season tips off. That doesn’t mean the front office is standing still - but it does mean that any major changes involving Davis are probably on hold until at least the summer.
And maybe that’s not the worst thing. If the Mavericks can keep him healthy and find the right supporting cast, Davis could still be a valuable piece of the puzzle. But for now, the trade chatter quiets down - and the focus shifts to navigating a bumpy road ahead with the roster as-is.