Less than a year after moving to the Dallas Mavericks in arguably the most shocking trade in NBA history, Anthony Davis might be on the move again very soon.
Davis was traded from the L.A. Lakers to the Mavericks in return for superstar guard Luka Doncic last February, sending shockwaves throughout basketball and professional sports. Dallas had made the NBA Finals just a few months prior off the back of Doncic's otherworldly play, and looked poised to contend for championships for years to come.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison has since been publicly bashed by both fans and pundits since the blockbuster deal, which eventually led to him being fired earlier this month.
Dallas finished 10th in the Western Conference last season and failed to advance past the Play-In tournament, and have started the 2025-26 campaign 4-12. Davis has only appeared in 14 of a possible 42 games since joining the Mavericks, averaging 20.3 points and 10.1 rebounds per game in that time.
The 32-year-old has only played five games so far this season, missing the last 10 games with a calf strain.
Anthony Davis - 2025-26 NBA Stats
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The Mavs' new front office is now looking for ways to clean up the mess left behind by Harrison. ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that the Mavericks will be listening to trade calls for Davis, despite minority owner Mark Cuban claiming Dallas won't trade the superstar forward they "want to try to win."
No matter what Cuban says, it seems as though the writing is on the wall for Davis' time in Dallas. But where could the Mavericks send him?
Here are three Anthony Davis trade ideas that make a lot of sense.
1 Chicago Bulls
Giddey Jones Bulls
The Mavericks and Chicago Bulls make a lot of sense as trade partners here. If they're looking to retool, Dallas would love to take on some expiring contracts in exchange for AD, which Chicago has plenty of.
The Bulls can ship out Nikola Vucevic, Kevin Huerter and Coby White — all on expiring deals — in a package with a first round pick, and could really use the interior defense Davis has built his career on. The Bulls give up the second most paint points per game in the NBA (55.4).
Chicago is also Davis' hometown, and a homecoming for the 10-time All-Star could turn into quite the narrative. With the likes of Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis giving the Bulls new life, the addition of a proven — but fragile — superstar could transform them from playoff hopefuls to darkhorse contenders.
2 Toronto Raptors
Raptors' Jakob Poeltl and Scottie Barnes
Raptors' Jakob Poeltl and Scottie Barnes
Credit: © Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
The Toronto Raptors are rolling, winners of five straight and sitting in second place in the East with a 10-5 record.
The addition of Brandon Ingram seems to have been a stroke of genius, as the talented scorer has raised the potential of a young squad anchored by Scottie Barnes.
Anthony Davis would fit so well into the Raptors' defensive schemes, and would fill a hole they currently have in the paint. Jakob Poeltl is a very useful player, but is nowhere near the versatile defender and difference-maker Davis is under the rim.
Toronto would have to part ways with Poeltl and one of RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley — two players entering their primes — to make this deal happen. They also have all their first round picks for the next few years, which means they have enough to sweeten the deal and get Dallas' attention here.
3 Detroit Pistons
Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons looks on during an NBA game.
The Detroit Pistons are the best team in the Eastern Conference, rocking a 13-2 record and riding a 10-game win streak.
Cade Cunningham has fully blossomed into a superstar, and the Pistons' young core continues to develop into one of the best and most exciting nuclei in the NBA.
They're looking like title contenders at the moment. But what could elevate them into the next tier? The answer might be Anthony Davis.
To start, AD would likely play at power forward in Detroit, which is his preferred position, as Jalen Duren holds down the paint almost singlehandedly.
Perhaps it would be too great a risk to mess with the Pistons' mojo by trading for an injury-prone star, but the upside might be too good to pass up. Detroit has plenty of young assets and draft capital to make a deal work, and after sitting on the outside looking in for so long, maybe it's time they put this contention window into overdrive.