Even before Nico Harrison was relieved of his duties last week with the Dallas Mavericks there were considerations for how the roster looks and when it might be time to focus team-building around rookie Cooper Flagg. With Harrison sent packing those rumblings have only gotten louder. As the organization continues to rip bandaids off self-inflicted wounds, it only makes sense to position the team for the next era and cut any losses that remain, even while the hurt lingers.
That conversation, unsurprisingly,
begins with Anthony Davis, and NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin is wading through those waters in a piece that went up Wednesday. Helin is right to mention that before the Mavericks can start measuring offers Davis himself will need to return to play and prove health and level of form for an extended period of time before Dallas can receive anything back of quality.
The Chicago Bulls, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Toronto Raptors are among the teams mentioned from various sources. But the reality of the deals, or quality of the returns, leave plenty of questions about what is really worth considering at this moment.
Take the Bulls for instance. Chicago, Davis’ hometown, is oft-mentioned destination by fans online. The personal sentiment combined with the Bulls’ front office always flirting with shuffling the deck chairs make Chicago a logical destination on paper. But as Helin points out, “With Chicago moving on from DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine, this feels like they were finally pivoting to their youth. Davis is 32, has a long history of nagging injuries, and is going to expect a contract extension after this season. That’s not youth; getting Davis is a win-now move.”
Then there are hard-capped teams like Golden State that make a move challenging, or the Detroit Pistons who are also frequently mentioned but doesn’t add up when Davis doesn’t fit the needs they may currently have. This is not to say that Davis can’t or won’t be moved. All signs, including the recent reporting on team governor Patrick Dumont being more hands-on in determining Davis’ return to the floor, point to the fact that the Mavericks are shifting gears and trading assets being part of that.
The biggest question hanging over a deal for Davis, or any other Maverick, is the eventual hiring of the team’s next general manager. As Helin highlights, while Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi have assumed the role of interim co-general managers, it would be expected (and rightfully so) that the next hired GM would want full control and say over a deal of that magnitude. Whether that be Dennis Lindsey, or any other candidate under consideration, several dominoes will have to fall. So moving Davis may prove a waiting game while the Mavericks sort out how to recover from a troubling 2025.
