In their initial trade discussions with teams earlier this season about big man Anthony Davis, the Mavericks were seeking multiple first-round picks or an impact player, sources tell ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. However, there were no takers at that price, even prior to Davis’ most recent injury, a hand issue that will keep him sidelined through the deadline.
While a pre-deadline Davis deal is no longer considered likely, it’s not impossible, Windhorst writes — but it would almost certainly require Dallas to drop its asking price and settle for perhaps one solid asset, plus matching salary. With no urgency to make a move right now, it probably makes more sense for the Mavs to wait until the offseason to make a decision on the 32-year-old.
Rival teams anticipate that Dallas will pursue trades involving other players in an effort to reduce their team salary for 2026/27, Tim Bontemps of ESPN says within the same story. Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, and D’Angelo Russell are among the Mavs’ trade candidates who have guaranteed salaries or (in Russell’s case) a player option for next season. Turning any of them into a player – or players – with expiring salary could help the Mavs manage their cap situation for next season, reducing the need to move off Davis’ maximum-salary contract, Bontemps observes.
Here are a few more of the latest trade rumors from around the NBA:
- Hornets forward Miles Bridges likely won’t be moved at the trade deadline, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. Amick reported in January that Bridges was drawing legitimate trade interest from a handful of teams, but Charlotte has been in a roll since then, registering seven consecutive wins and moving within one game of a play-in spot. A league source tells The Athletic that the forward – for whom the Hornets were reportedly seeking at least one first-round pick – is “highly likely” to remain in Charlotte.
- In their discussions about Domantas Sabonis, the Kings have explored three-for-one or four-for-one frameworks with the Raptors, according to James Ham of The Kings Beat, who suggests such a package would start with forward RJ Barrett and may include players like Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick. Sacramento would also want rookie Collin Murray-Boyles, but he’s someone Toronto would “fight to hold onto,” Ham adds. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link) has also heard that Barrett and Agbaji have come up in the Sabonis talks between the Raptors and Kings.
- Checking in on the Pistons‘ approach to the trade deadline, Hunter Patterson of the Athletic suggests the team seems unlikely to make any major moves and hasn’t engaged in discussions involving veteran forward Tobias Harris, whom head coach J.B. Bickerstaff refers to as his “security blanket.” Detroit will be opportunistic if a favorable deal arises and still has a $14MM trade exception available, but that exception doesn’t expire until July 7, so the team could end up hanging onto it until the offseason, Patterson writes.
- Following up on a HoopsHype report that suggested the Sixers were among the team to express exploratory interest in Celtics forward/center Chris Boucher, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required) says a source downplayed Philadelphia’s interest, despite Boucher’s connection to 76ers head coach Nick Nurse.
Kings ain’t getting Dick for Sabonis.
I laughed very hard reading this. Thank you.
Pistons are in an interesting spot. They have a bright future but also they are top team in the East currently. I wonder if they would kick the tires for Markkanen once more.
Pistons don’t have the assets without gutting the team. Utah isn’t moving Markkanen unless Detroit absolutely nukes the team with an offer, the Jazz have said repeatedly they don’t want to trade him.
So unless Duren or Ausar is in the dealt the Jazz are hanging up instantly. No discussion. No counter. Click. If it’s Ausar, Utah’s gonna want Holland, every pick Detroit owns and a foot locker receipt for the newest Jordan 1s.
Utah looks like they’re trying to compete next year, so the smart play is to wait for the deadline next season and see if they’re mid or cooked, then make an offer.
That sounds like severely over valuing Markannen
Okay maybe not the Jordans but the point stands: Utah doesn’t wanna trade Markkanen, so if you want him you gotta come with an offer that’s too crazy to ignore.
And outside of Cade, the only dudes Detroit has that actually help Utah compete next season are Duren or Ausar, but if you’re giving up either of them, you’re basically selling your own future… like congrats, you got Lauri, but now your roster is cooked.
So yeah, that trade is just not it for Detroit. No cap.
That made me laugh multiple 1st round picks for AD. All he can bring back is another underperforming big money player.
The conversation people aren’t ready for is that for AD’s next contact he might not make much more than the non taxpayer MLE.
Imagine being the Mavs and thinking AD has ANY value at all. If we didn’t have to match contracts I’d say the Wolves could offer one of their second round picks they have, but I don’t know if I’d even offer that.
I would take it a step further and say he has negative value. He has averaged more than 30 missed games per season since he won his bubble ring. He still has two more years and $121 million on his current deal. So an acquiring team not only has to pay him 20-25 million a year to be injured, they then have to field a competitive team for over 1/3rd of the season using just 65% of the cap for the next two years. That is a major disadvantage and if I’m a GM, I’m telling Dallas they have to pay me to take him off their hands.
Hornets taking off as soon as Moussa Diabate became a starter! coincidence? I think not!