The Golden State Warriors have been mentioned as one of the teams that have expressed interest in a potential trade for Dallas Mavericks’ big man Anthony Davis. Now, however, at least one report has surfaced
that says it was the Mavericks’ front office that initially reached out to Golden State seeking a trade partner to get Davis off their books.
Sam Amick of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that Dallas has interest in Jonathan Kuminga and initiated contact with the Warriors to feel out a possible trade. Kuminga, who averages 11.8 points and 6.2 rebounds in 24.8 minutes per game across 18 games for the Warriors this year, is not eligible to be traded until Jan. 15.
“While a league source said the Mavericks do have interest in the Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, who … is widely expected to be dealt before the deadline, the fifth-year forward’s salary ($22.5 million) comes well short of Davis’ ($54.1 million) and would thus require the inclusion of another big contract” in any potential trade including Davis on the other end, Amick’s report states. “What’s more, it should be noted that the Mavericks called Golden State about the Davis possibility — and not the other way around.”
It goes on to reiterate that Golden State has no interest in trading Draymond Green (25.8 million) or Jimmy Butler ($54.1 million) this season.
This says a couple of different things about the position the Mavericks find themselves in with less than six weeks until the NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline. First and foremost, if true, it says that the Mavs are actively seeking to trade Davis, not just listening to offers that come their way. Second, it offers some explanation for those who salivated at a potential Davis deal with the Atlanta Hawks as to why the Mavericks wouldn’t immediately jump at such a deal if it were available this early in the league calendar.
Potential deals with the Hawks could include some combination of 2026 and/or 2027 draft compensation, 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher, Kirstaps Porzingis, Onyeka Ogongwu and Nickeil Alexander-Walker. The Mavericks’ interest in Kuminga, who cannot be traded until Jan. 15, may override the team’s interest in pursuing such a deal with Atlanta. Or, the team may simply want to wait to hear out other potential suitors to maximize incoming draft capital in any potential deal for Davis. Amick’s report also says that the Hawks may be more willing than previously thought to wait out their own situation with both point guard Trae Young and with Risacher’s development, hoping for answers to materialize after this season.
As noted above, Kuminga will make $22.5 million this season, and he’s under contract for one more season at a cap hit of $24.3 million before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027. That would give Dallas the cap relief of getting off Davis’ massive salary a year earlier than it would by keeping Davis, who has a player option for the 2027-28 season. Without including Green’s $25.8-million salary in a potential deal for Davis, a third or possibly a third and fourth team would likely have to get involved to make salaries match. Dallas may not ultimately be able to get a deal done here.
A third question a potential trade centered around Daivs and Kuminga raises is what to do with Kuminga after next season. Would the Mavericks be open to retaining Kuminga at a similar number after the 2026-27 season, or would they view his stay in Dallas as a layover, looking forward to even more cap space at the end of his current contract? Are they open to being wowed by a possible resurgence from Kuminga, or is this simply an exercise in getting off salary as soon as possible? The fact that the Mavs are the initiators here may point to longer-term interest, which muddies the water in building a winner on the Cooper Flagg timeline.
If Amick’s reporting has merit, as it usually does, the Mavs’ posture here is correct. Leave no stone unturned to maximize return. Davis is one of those players whose gargantuan salary is going to be tricky to find a landing spot for as NBA teams, especially contending teams, shy away from players who eat up too much cap space under the specter of the ever-present apron. Davis is, after all, reportedly looking for another big payday when he becomes eligible for his next contract extension at the end of this year. Which, yikes.
