NBA Trade Deadline Watch: Mavericks Keep Phones Open on Davis, Nuggets Play It Cool, Cavs Still Active
With the trade deadline just days away, front offices around the league are making calls, weighing options, and in some cases, holding firm. Here's a closer look at how three playoff-hopeful franchises - the Mavericks, Nuggets, and Cavaliers - are approaching the final stretch before the buzzer sounds.
Mavericks Open to Davis Talks, But in No Rush
The Mavericks are still fielding trade inquiries on Anthony Davis, but there’s no sense of urgency coming out of Dallas. The team is fully comfortable holding onto the veteran big man through the deadline and into the offseason - a stance that reportedly aligns with Davis’ own preference.
Davis, 32, has been limited to just 29 games since arriving in Dallas last February, currently sidelined as he rehabs ligament damage in his left hand. The concern here isn’t talent - Davis remains one of the league’s most skilled frontcourt players when healthy - but rather availability. That’s been the story for much of his career, and it continues to shape how teams view him as a trade asset.
While Davis remains on the table, the Mavericks are also listening on Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, and D’Angelo Russell. However, there are two names that appear to be firmly off-limits: Naji Marshall and Max Christie. The front office views both as core pieces moving forward, and there’s no appetite to include them in any deadline deal.
Nuggets Prioritize Cap Flexibility Over Big Moves
In Denver, don’t expect any major shake-ups. The defending champs are keeping things low-key, focused more on financial flexibility than roster overhaul.
The Nuggets are unlikely to move veterans like Jonas Valanciunas or Cameron Johnson, and Peyton Watson is considered untouchable despite some looming contract decisions this summer. The front office is instead targeting smaller, procedural moves - like trimming salary to get under the luxury tax and converting two-way forward Spencer Jones to a standard NBA contract.
If there’s one contract Denver would like to move, it’s Zeke Nnaji’s. But with guaranteed money on the books, that’s easier said than done. For now, the Nuggets are playing it smart and strategic, not splashy.
Cavaliers Stay Aggressive After Hunter Deal
Cleveland isn’t done yet. After pulling off a multi-player deal that brought in Keon Ellis, Dennis Schroder, and Emanuel Miller in exchange for De’Andre Hunter, the Cavaliers are still working the phones.
According to reports, President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman is actively shopping Lonzo Ball and injured wing Max Strus. The Hunter trade already helped the Cavs trim their second-apron tax overage from $22 million to $13.9 million, but the goal is to get under that threshold entirely.
Ball’s $10 million salary - with a team option for next season - makes him the most straightforward trade chip. Strus, meanwhile, is still recovering from foot surgery and owed $16.66 million next year. With Ellis and Schroder now in the mix, Strus has become a bit more expendable.
If no deal comes together this week, expect Strus to be a name to watch closely once the offseason rolls around.
What’s Next?
With the deadline looming, these three teams are taking different approaches - Dallas keeping its options open, Denver playing it conservative, and Cleveland staying aggressive. Whether these strategies pay off in the playoff chase remains to be seen, but one thing’s clear: the phones are still ringing, and the league isn’t done dealing just yet.