The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly going to "explore the trade market" for Anthony Davis, according to a recent report from Tim MacMahon of ESPN, and this should put Coby White of the Chicago Bulls near the top of their list when it comes to potential trade targets. White is someone that many Mavericks fans pushed the team to trade for over the summer, and he'd be someone that the city would love.
White just returned to the Bulls' lineup earlier this week after missing the first 11 games with a calf strain, and he didn't disappoint. He finished with 27 points, four rebounds, and eight assists, and trading Davis to Chicago for a package that includes White makes too much sense for them to overlook as they pivot to building around Cooper Flagg.
White to Dallas makes excellent basketball sense, but Davis to Chicago is much more than that.
Davis grew up in Chicago and still has close ties to the city, and he is clearly in need of a fresh start after being traded to Dallas in the Luka Doncic trade. Mavericks fans may never fully embrace Davis due to his relation to Nico Harrison's decision to trade Doncic, and with Dallas likely about to enter a rebuild, it doesn't make sense to keep him around any longer.
Coby White is the perfect young guard to pair with Cooper Flagg
Davis has only played in five games this season due to a calf strain that he suffered at the end of last month, and if he returns soon and plays at a high level while staying healthy, this could be the proof that the Bulls need to trade for the star big man. As things stand now, the Bulls are 7-6 and the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, and bringing in a veteran star like Davis could be the juice they need to escape the Play-In Tournament and secure a top-six seed.
Josh Giddey is playing out of his mind, Matas Buzelis looks to be one of their best draft picks in recent memory, and Ayo Dosunmu is one of the better sixth men in the East. Adding Davis to this core would at least give them a centerpiece to build around for the next few years alongside Giddey, and getting sent to Chicago would likely be a move that he doesn't oppose since he grew up there.
It would be a homecoming of sorts, and the Mavericks would bring in White, who would be a great player to build around and hold down the starting five next to Flagg.
Just like Flagg, White is a relentless competitor who hates losing. He is fully focused on winning, and his desire to keep getting better while always doing whatever the coaching staff asks of him will make him a great young duo partner for Flagg as he gets his feet wet in the NBA.
Through 15 games, it's obvious that Flagg is going to be a superstar in this league, and now is the time to begin treating him like your No. 1 franchise player and making moves that complement him the best. This is how Dallas turned into an NBA Finals contender with Doncic as their conductor, and they can do the same with Flagg if they play their cards right.
With Flagg being a defensive menace who is showing early signs that he has the tools to develop into an offensive engine one day, adding someone like White to play alongside him would be a dream scenario. White fits the Mavericks' emphasis on playing fast (fifth in the NBA in pace this season), as his game is built upon his speed and ability to put pressure on the rim.
Combine his driving and quickness with an ability to score at all three levels and play on or off the ball, and the Mavericks may have just found one of their guards of the future if they do engage in talks with the Bulls. He is only 25 years old, meaning that he still has plenty of room to grow while also already being an established young guard in the NBA, and Dallas should have their eyes on him if they don't already.
With Flagg not ready to be a lead ball handler, White would help take the pressure off him while also being a primary scoring option, and the Mavericks would be in a much better spot than they are right now. They'd likely still need a starting point guard to run the show next to White and Flagg, but trading Davis for a package that includes White would definitely benefit the Mavericks as they try to become contenders once again.
White's scoring off the bounce, deadly 3-point shooting, speed in the open court, and competitiveness would make him a fan-favorite in Dallas in no time, and the Bulls could be looking to trade him since he is on an expiring contract (if they don't plan on re-signing him).
Chicago is definitely a team to keep an eye on as these Anthony Davis trade talks begin to heat up, and if Dallas does end up calling Chicago to gauge their interest, Coby White should be at the top of their list for players they'd like in return.