The hand injury currently afflicting Anthony Davis has undoubtedly complicated the objectives of both his camp and the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the February 5th trade deadline. Davis and Rich Paul are attempting to get him to a team with interest in signing him to a contract extension in the offseason, while the Mavericks are seeking the best possible return in a trade after he was previously the centerpiece of their Luka Doncic deal.
Davis elected not to undergo surgery and is out until at least the end of February, but he could return this season either with a new team or the Mavericks. His return to the Mavericks’ lineup could be dependent on where they are in the standings as they weigh a run to the play-in against the best possible lottery odds for their first round pick.
“It is very clear that Rich Paul, who represents Anthony Davis, wants Anthony Davis traded before the deadline,” said Tim MacMahon on Wednesday’s Hoop Collective Podcast in explaining the current state of the situation. “And why would he want that? Because he believes it’s in his best business interest. Because he has taken a ‘We’ll see’ from the Mavericks regarding an extension as a ‘no’. And there are teams where clearly Rich Paul considers it likely that AD would get the kind of extension that he’s looking for when he becomes eligible in August.
“The Mavericks were going to explore the trade market regardless. They have bee. This is ongoing. They do not feel like they have to trade Anthony Davis. They are telling me and anybody who will listen that they’re not trading AD just to make a deal. They don’t feel like they have to unload him.
“‘Oh my gosh, the deadline’s here. Got to-got to take what the best offer is.’
“They are insistent that they will only make a deal that makes sense for them. And what exactly that threshold is, there’s not clarity on that. But it’s some combination of draft compensation, promising young talent, and financial relief in the form of expiring salaries.
“‘Rich Paul is not going to bully us.’ That is a direct quote from a member of the Mavericks organization.
“Another member of the Mavericks organization, referring to Patrick Dumont, the governor: ‘Patrick’s not going to sign off on a deal just to do a deal. Ownership doesn’t feel any pressure to do an AD deal.’
“A third source: ‘Patrick has no problem going into next year and seeing, with a healthy Kyrie [Irving] and a healthy AD, alongside Cooper Flagg, and seeing what it looks like.”
“So there’s the trade deadline, and maybe there’s an AD deal to be made that they’re comfortable making. Maybe there’s not. And then it can be like Kevin Durant, where, okay, you restart things in the summer. But even then, I don’t believe they’re going to feel like there’s a ticking time bomb.
“There will be a new, you know, whatever the title is-president of basketball operations, lead decision maker-who they’d like to have in place for Cooper Flagg’s career. And maybe it makes sense just to wait for that person to arrive in Dallas and to handle this business.
“But they’re also saying, ‘Listen, we’re trying to be competitive next year.’ When-remember, their pick is not their own. It’s top-two protected, owned by Charlotte, so there’s no benefit to them being bad.”
Davis is due $58.5 million next season and has a player option for $62.8 million in 2027-28.
“They are motivated to make a good Anthony Davis deal,” said MacMahon. “Not just an Anthony Davis where ‘we have to get off him.'”
MacMahon predicts Davis is more likely than not to remain on the Mavericks past the trade deadline and could even still be on the roster after next offseason.