Anthony Davis

Pistons, Hawks, Raptors Expected To Be Anthony Davis Suitors

December 9th, 2025 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

A number of Eastern Conference contenders, including the Pistons, Hawks, and Raptors, are expected to be among the suitors for Mavericks big man Anthony Davis at this season’s trade deadline, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

As Charania details, Atlanta, Toronto, and especially Detroit all look like potential playoff teams in a wide-open Eastern Conference, and may view Davis as the sort of player who could turn them into a legitimate championship contender.

Davis has battled injuries over the course of his career, especially since being traded from the Lakers to Mavericks at last season’s trade deadline. But he’s healthy now, having played in five of six games since returning from a calf strain late last month, including both ends of a back-to-back on Friday and Saturday.

In spite of a two-point outing in Oklahoma City last week, Davis has registered solid overall averages of 18.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.0 blocks in 28.4 minutes per night in his first five games back from that calf injury.

Potential suitors will likely be somewhat wary of Davis’ maximum-salary deal, which includes a $54.1MM cap hit this season and a $58.5MM salary in 2026/27, along with a $62.8MM player option for ’27/28. However, the Pistons, Hawks, and Raptors would each be capable of stacking contracts to send out enough outgoing salary to accommodate him.

A Detroit package would likely start with Tobias Harris‘ expiring salary ($26.6MM); Atlanta could offer Kristaps Porzingis‘ $30.7MM expiring salary; and Toronto could use RJ Barrett ($27.7MM), who has one additional year left beyond this one. Hawks guard Trae Young ($46MM) and Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley ($32.5MM) could also be trade candidates, depending on the structure of a deal.

The Pistons and Hawks would have more salary-matching leeway than the Raptors, who are operating just $1MM below the first apron and would have to match any incoming salary nearly dollar for dollar.

All three teams have plenty of tradable draft picks that could be used to sweeten potential offers. The Pistons and Raptors control all their own future first-rounders, while Atlanta has traded away its own 2027 pick but controls a pair of 2026 selections, including the most favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ first-rounders, which would be a guaranteed top-five pick if the season ended today.

Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, who represents Davis, recently met with Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, the Mavericks’ co-interim general managers and sought clarity about the team’s plans for his client, according to Charania. The Mavs’ lead executives conveyed to Paul that they’re keeping their options open for now and will make a decision based in part on how the club performs in the next few weeks.

Dallas hasn’t ruled out the idea of hanging onto Davis and extending him during the offseason, Charania notes.

Mavericks Notes: Davis, Nembhard, Thompson, Gafford, Lively

December 6th, 2025 at 7:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Davis and his Mavericks teammates were eager to move on to the next game following Friday’s 21-point loss at Oklahoma City, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Davis missed his first eight shots from the field and was held to two points by one of the NBA’s elite defenses. His only points came with 8:08 left in the fourth quarter, shortly before he checked out of the game for good.

“I hold myself accountable for the play,” Davis said. “When I catch the ball, (they) have guys loaded up … there’s not much room to operate. But we don’t have time to dwell on it.”

As Christian Clark of the Athletic describes, the Thunder used Jaylin Williams as the primary defender on Davis, with Chet Holmgren lurking to provide help. That combination prevented Davis from getting many good looks at the basket.

“That was their game plan,” Davis said. “That’s most teams’ game plan. When I catch the ball, have guys loaded up. Specifically, when I have it in the post. … And they didn’t have Chet on me. Chet was kind of the help on the baseline.”

There’s more on the Mavericks:

Ryan Nembhard continued to be impressive despite the lopsided loss, Afseth states in a separate story. Coach Jason Kidd said the rookie point guard, who made 4-of-8 shots from the floor and committed just one turnover, held up well under heavy pressure from OKC’s defense. “I thought he did great,” Kidd said. “Being able to find his teammates. … I thought he did a good job of getting guys shots. I thought he attacked.”
Klay Thompson will miss Saturday’s game against Houston with left knee soreness, while Daniel Gafford is out due to right ankle injury management, Afseth relays in another piece. P.J. Washington, who was a game-time decision because of a sprained right ankle, has been cleared to play (Twitter link).
As the team previously announced, center Dereck Lively II will seek additional medical opinions on the cause of the swelling and soreness in his right foot. Lively has only been available for seven games this season and hasn’t played since November 21. “For a 21-year-old, it’s tough,” Kidd told reporters, per Afseth. “He wants to play. Unfortunately, he can’t play right now. So hopefully as he goes through this process of finding other opinions on what he should do, it brings resolve and he can get back to playing because we miss him. He misses playing.”

Warriors Notes: Horford, Green, Curry, Richard, A. Davis

December 6th, 2025 at 5:18pm CST by Arthur Hill

Al Horford was excited about the opportunity to join the Warriors, but his first few weeks with the team haven’t worked out as planned. The veteran center has only been available for 13 of Golden State’s first 23 games and is averaging 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per night. He admits to Nick Friedell of The Athletic that he’s disappointed with his performance so far.

“I’m not where I want to be,” Horford said. “I would say I haven’t been very good. I understand that there’s a lot of work ahead of me, there’s more that I need to do, and I need to be better, and I feel like I will. But right now, I’m not where I want to be.”

Injuries have played a part in Horford’s early-season frustrations, as he just returned Thursday after missing about two weeks with sciatica. Golden State isn’t using him in both ends of back-to-backs, just like Boston’s policy over the past two years, to avoid putting too much strain on his body during the long season. After playing 18 minutes on Thursday at Philadelphia, Horford said he believes he’s making progress physically.

“I felt pretty good tonight,” he said. “Obviously, not playing or anything, that’s always challenging, so trying to get my legs back under me, but it’s just nice to get back on the floor. Things didn’t go our way tonight, the game didn’t go our way, I’m still trying to find myself as well, but I was encouraged with some of the things tonight.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Horford will miss Saturday’s game at Cleveland as part of a lengthy injured list that also includes Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Seth Curry and De’Anthony Melton, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link). He adds that there’s optimism about Green, who injured his right foot during Thursday’s game and left the arena in a walking boot. Slater states that Green was able to do some shooting on his own after this morning’s shootaround (Twitter link).
Coach Steve Kerr said Stephen Curry is making progress in his recovery from a thigh contusion and “it’s realistic” that he could return Friday against Minnesota (Twitter link).
At 22, Will Richard was viewed as old for a prospect heading into this year’s draft, but he believes he benefited from playing four seasons in college, writes Kenzo Fukuda of ClutchPoints. Richard has been a surprise contributor for Golden State after being selected with the 56th pick. “I feel like those four years at Florida helped me out with my experience,” he said. “I feel like it helped me adjust much quicker than if I were an 18-year-old freshman or something like that. So no knock to the guys that get drafted who are younger than me. … I know my journey is different from everyone else, so I’m happy how it went.”
Rumors that the Warriors are among the teams pursuing Mavericks big man Anthony Davis are untrue, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, who tweets that Golden State hasn’t contacted Dallas about a potential deal and doesn’t plan to during the season.

Mavs Notes: Nembhard, Davis, Marshall, Thompson

December 2nd, 2025 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Rookie guard Ryan Nembhard, who is on a two-way contract with the Mavericks, submitted a historic performance on Monday in an upset win over the Nuggets in Denver. Appearing in just his ninth NBA game, Nembhard racked up 28 points on 12-of-14 shooting and handed out 10 assists without turning the ball over once.

According to the Mavs (Twitter link), Nembhard is the first undrafted rookie in the modern era (dating back to 1967) to have at least 25 points and 10 assists in a game without committing a turnover. He’s also the first rookie of any kind to post that stat line since Stephon Marbury did it in 1996.

“He kind of took over the game,” head coach Jason Kidd said of Nembhard, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “He’s been great since we put him in the starting lineup. Being able to find guys. Also his shot. To have 28 and 10, he controlled the game. The ball touches the paint and he finds Max Christie in the corner for a big three. He took what the defense had. He was really good tonight.”

After making just five brief appearances in Dallas’ first 18 games, Nembhard has appeared in each of the last four, starting three times and averaging 24.0 minutes per night. As a starter, he’s averaging 17.7 points and 5.7 assists per contest and has made 9-of-15 three-pointers (60.0%).

Here’s more on the Mavs:

As good as Nembhard was on Monday, it was Anthony Davis who led the team in scoring, with 32 points and 13 rebounds in his second game back from a calf strain. Davis, who on a minutes restriction in his return on Friday, exceeded 32 minutes on Monday despite battling the mile-high elevation in Denver. “I was tired for sure, but it’s mental,” he said after the win, according to Afseth. “Trying to push through the fatigue and physically and mentally lock in.”
Although the Mavericks struggled during the second half of last season and the first several weeks of this season, forward Naji Marshall has no regrets about signing with the team as a free agent during the 2024 offseason. Speaking to Mark Medina of Essentially Sports, Marshall referred to Dallas as a “beautiful city” and said he loves both his teammates and the Mavs’ coaching staff. “(Kidd) has helped my game in a tremendous way,” Marshall said of his head coach. “He showed me things on and off the court with his experience as being a Hall-of-Fame point guard. The coaching staff that he surrounds himself with are also great dudes. They know the game. So learning from them has been a plus.”
Veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson got off to a brutal start this fall, averaging 7.4 points per game and making 26.7% of his three-pointers in his first 10 outings. In his last 11, he has looked more like himself, scoring 14.5 PPG and hitting 40.6% of his outside shots. “It felt like a relief,” Thompson said after scoring a season-high 23 points and making six three-pointers on Saturday, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “I haven’t shot the ball well in these first 20 games or at least to my standard. When you have a night like that, after the tough start we’ve had. It just gives you relief to keep going and it really inspires me to be out there as much as I can.” Thompson was initially expected to miss Saturday’s game due to left knee stiffness, but managed to play through it.

Bulls Considered Unlikely To Trade For Anthony Davis

December 1st, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls’ front office has engaged in internal discussions about trading for Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, according to Jamal Collier of ESPN. Davis is viewed as a potential solution for the team’s poor interior defense, but sources tell Collier that Chicago is reluctant to make any move that involves giving up a portion of its young core until it becomes more competitive.

“I don’t think going out and chasing X megastar is the way to proceed — at least today,” one source said.

Collier points out that the Bulls have plenty of ammunition for such a deal. They own their first-round picks for the next seven years, along with a 2026 first-rounder from Portland that’s top-14 protected. The team could also have nearly $70MM in cap room for next summer’s free agent market.

Trade speculation surrounding Davis has increased amid Dallas’ 6-15 start to the season and the emerging stardom of rookie forward Cooper Flagg. The Mavs may decide to embrace a youth movement, but Davis’ injury history and his pricey contract make him a significant trade risk. He has only played six games this season and recently returned after an extended absence caused by a left calf strain.

Collier’s information on the Bulls’ interest in Davis is part of a larger story about what has caused the team to fall to 9-10 after a 6-1 start. There was an early-season belief that coach Billy Donovan’s up-tempo style had the team headed in the right direction, but opponents seemed to have adjusted to it over the past few weeks.

Donovan admits that he has patterned the approach after the Pacers after watching them reach the NBA Finals last season.

“That’s who we have to be,” he said. “We have to be better than the sum of our parts. … Everybody sees Indiana play, and the thing that everybody goes to right away is oh, their pace, their pace, their pace. The one thing that Indiana probably doesn’t get enough credit for is yes, they play really, really fast and (Tyrese) Haliburton‘s a unique play-maker back there, but the physicality of those guys defensively is where our evolution has to continue.”

The Bulls have entrusted Josh Giddey, who was acquired from Oklahoma City before the start of last season, to lead the team in the Haliburton role. However, there are questions about whether the rest of the roster is good enough to ever reach that level. Collier notes that Indiana has been much better defensively than Chicago, and it has a second star in Pascal Siakam to pair with Haliburton.

“They have Haliburton, who is an All-Star, and they have Siakam,” a Bulls source told Collier. “If Giddey can develop into an All-Star and be what Hali was, when do we pull the trigger to get our Siakam?”

Management still views Giddey, Coby White, Matas Buzelis and 2025 first-round pick Noa Essengue as its future core, team sources told Collier. Essengue, who won’t turn 19 until later this month, has been brought along slowly and didn’t make his season debut until November 22. Those same sources state that the Bulls understand they need to keep adding to that core to be successful and they plan to make moves in that direction.

Mavericks Notes: AD, Luka, Flagg, Nembhard, Cisse

November 29th, 2025 at 4:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks big man Anthony Davis slightly exceeded the minutes restriction he had Friday in his first game back following a 14-game absence, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The star forward/center, who was facing the Lakers for the first time since the shocking February trade that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles and Davis to Dallas, faced immediate double-teams, ultimately finishing with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and three blocks in 28 minutes.

“I thought he was good for his first game back,” head coach Jason Kidd said (story via Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal). “We’ll try to get the rhythm and try to get the flow of just being with those guys on the floor. I thought he was good on both ends. As we go forward and continue, as we talked about, to stacking good minutes, he did that.”

The Mavericks wound up losing by 10 points to fall to 5-15, the second-worst record in the Western Conference. Davis is optimistic the team still has time to turn its season around, Afseth adds.

“We’re still playing basketball, we’re trying to compete,” Davis said. “We are competing, we’re playing for each other, and we’re playing together. I remember when Brooklyn started off 5-20 and ended up at the four seed. I’m not saying we’re comparing ourselves to that or that we’re going to start off 5-20, but we just have to keep competing. There were just a couple of plays here and there that hurt us, but we can’t complain, we keep fighting. I feel like we’re right there.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

It’s been almost 10 months since Doncic was traded, but he says matchups against his former team will always be meaningful, Afseth writes in another story for Dallas Hoops Journal. “I would say it’s a little bit easier now,” Doncic said. “But games against Dallas always have some special meaning to me. I still have a lot of friends there. It’s important, it’s fun, and it’s always special. Like I say, it’ll always be special for me.”
After the game, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News asked Doncic for his thoughts on Cooper Flagg (Twitter video link). “I think he’s a good player,” Doncic said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of pressure that comes with (being) the first pick so he has a lot on his shoulders, but I think he will become a great player.” The 18-year-old rookie had 13 points, a career-high 11 assists and seven rebounds in the loss.
Rookie Ryan Nembhard, who is on a two-way contract, received his first career start on Friday, as first reported by Marc Stein (via Twitter). The former Gonzaga point guard had a solid outing, recording 17 points (on 7-of-11 shooting) and four assists in 23 minutes. “They weren’t really guarding me,” Nembhard said, per Afseth. “They was trying to play off me and stand those gaps for AD and double him and make it tough on him. So a lot of open shots presented themselves and I’m just trying to be aggressive, get my teammates involved, and take advantage of the opportunity.”
In a feature story for Ratings, Afseth details how undrafted rookie Moussa Cisse has become a valuable contributor for the Mavs. Like Nembhard, the Guinean center is on a two-way deal with Dallas. “He’s a bit undersized at the five, but he’s explosive and plays extremely hard,” a scout said. “He’s a bit further along than I expected, but there’s still plenty of work there. You can tell he’s still getting used to guarding NBA actions and talent — his angles can use some work. But he’s really dynamic rotating from the weak side and he’s going to crash the boards hard on both ends. I like his potential.”

Lakers Notes: Hachimura, AD, LaRavia, Smart, Christie

November 28th, 2025 at 10:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Ahead of Friday’s matchup with Dallas, Rui Hachimura said he’s satisfied with the role he has with the Lakers, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter video link).

“I’m not trying to be a superstar. … I’m just trying to help the team win — whatever they ask,” Hachimura said. “I like my role here … I’m really trying to win the championship with this team. I like how they’ve been treating me. … So, I’m happy.”

The former lottery pick (No. 9 overall in 2019) has gotten off to a strong offensive start in 2025/26, averaging 14.9 points per game on elite efficiency (.568/.483/.735 shooting line) while chipping in 3.9 rebounds per game through 16 outings (33.5 MPG). The 27-year-old forward is earning approximately $18.3MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent in 2026 if he doesn’t sign an extension before then.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Hachimura admitted he hasn’t gotten used to seeing Anthony Davis in an opposing team’s uniform, according to Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group (Twitter video link). “It’s still weird sometimes when I see him on the TV or like, when I play against him. It feels weird,” Hachimura said. Davis returned to action on Friday for his first game against his former team after missing a month with a calf strain. The 10-time All-Star received a “warm reception” from Lakers fans when he was introduced as a starter for the Mavericks, tweets Mark Medina.
In an EssentiallySports interview with Medina, free agent addition Jake LaRavia says he’s enjoying his time with Los Angeles, adding that the “vibes on our team are very good.” “It’s been great,” LaRavia told Medina. “We have a great group of guys. Just to be able to play with AR (Austin Reaves), Luka (Doncic) and ‘Bron (LeBron James) has really been beneficial for me. It’s a very exciting team. It’s a great city. There are great fans. So the whole experience so far has been really good.”
After previously being listed as questionable, Marcus Smart was then downgraded to doubtful and then out ahead of Friday’s game, as McMenamin relays (via Twitter). The former Defensive Player of the Year is dealing with back spasms.
Mavericks guard Max Christie, who was included alongside Davis in the blockbuster trade for Doncic, downplayed the significance of facing his former team again. “It’s the same. I mean I was here last year, too. I’m a Maverick so I’m not really thinking about it like that. It’s just another game,” Christie said (Twitter link via Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News). “It feels good. It’s cool to be back. Just another game.”

Anthony Davis To Return Friday Vs. Lakers

November 28th, 2025 at 11:55am CST by Luke Adams

November 28: Davis will make his return on Friday vs. the Lakers, ESPN’s Shams Charania confirms (via Twitter).

November 26: Injured Mavericks big man Anthony Davis took part in Wednesday’s practice and is expected to be listed as questionable for Friday’s game against the Lakers, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.

After having the next two nights off, Dallas will play a back-to-back set in Los Angeles against the Lakers on Friday and the Clippers on Saturday. Davis won’t be cleared to play both of those games after being sidelined since October 29 due to a left calf strain, so the plan is for the team to see how he feels on Thursday and then make a decision on whether he’ll play Friday or Saturday.

Asked which game he’d prefer to play in, Davis responded with a smile and made it clear he’d love to suit up against his former team.

“That’s a real question?” he said (Twitter video link via Curtis). “You know what game I want to play. But we’ll see. We’ll have a conversation and see what makes the most sense with the medical staff and the coaching staff.”

Having been affected by multiple injuries since the Lakers traded him to Dallas in February, Davis hasn’t had the chance yet to play at Crypto.com Arena as a member of Mavericks.

Davis had initially hoped to return much sooner from the calf strain that has now kept him out of action for the past 14 games, but Mavs governor Patrick Dumont reportedly got involved in the decision-making process and pushed for a cautious approach that would reduce the risk of the 32-year-old re-aggravating the injury or making it worse.

The Mavericks, who were 2-3 with Davis in the lineup, have lost 11 of their last 14 contests and now have the second-worst record in the Western Conference at 5-14. In addition to playing without Davis, Dallas has also been missing guards Kyrie Irving and Dante Exum due to long-term injuries and big man Dereck Lively II, who has been dealing with right foot and knee issues.

Injury Notes: Giannis, AD, Bulls, Sixers

November 27th, 2025 at 6:56pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been listed as questionable for Friday’s game in New York, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Antetokounmpo is dealing with a strained left adductor, which is part of the groin.

The two-time MVP has missed the past four games — and most of a fifth — after suffering the injury on November 17 at Cleveland. Milwaukee lost all five games without its best player and has dropped six straight overall.

Antetokounmpo, who turns 31 years old on Dec. 6, was also considered questionable for Wednesday’s game in Miami before being ruled out. Head coach Doc Rivers said the nine-time All-NBA forward hasn’t experienced a setback, according to Nehm (Twitter link).

“No,” Rivers said. “I was not in favor (of him playing Wednesday). I was very happy we decided what we decided. I was very uncomfortable with it. He really wanted to push and that’s who Giannis is. I was very happy with our medical team today. They decided at the end of the day, let’s wait. … We just thought it was the right thing to do. We gotta protect him sometimes.”

We have more injury updates from around the NBA:

As expected, Mavericks forward/center Anthony Davis is questionable for Friday’s matchup at the Lakers, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays (via Twitter). The star big man has missed the past 14 games with a left calf strain. Davis, who practiced on Wednesday, said it was “surprising” and “definitely tough” to see former head of basketball operations Nico Harrison get fired, but downplayed the trade chatter surrounding him in the wake of Harrison’s dismissal. “This is basketball,” Davis said, per Christian Clark of The Athletic. “This is what comes with it. I think everybody in their career has been involved in trade talks. Been traded. Or some type of move. That doesn’t affect me. I’ve been in trade talks for a while. My job is to do what I do on the floor. Play basketball. Try to lead this team. I do have an open line of communication with the front office. I’m just ready to get back on the floor.”
The Bulls have a lengthy injury report ahead of Friday’s contest in Charlotte, notes Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link). Kevin Huerter (left pelvic contusion), Dalen Terry (left calf strain), Nikola Vucevic (right patellofemoral syndrome), Coby White (right calf strain injury management), and Patrick Williams (left wrist sprain) are all questionable, while Isaac Okoro is doubtful to suit up because of left lumbar radiculopathy.
In addition to Kelly Oubre Jr. and Trendon Watford, who are sidelined with knee and adductor injuries, respectively, Sixers center Joel Embiid has been ruled out of his ninth consecutive game on Friday against Brooklyn due to right knee injury management (Twitter link via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer). Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe (left calf tightness) is also out for the third straight game, while forward Paul George is questionable with a right ankle sprain. George was inactive for Tuesday’s 41-point loss to Orlando, though he did practice on Wednesday.

Mavs Reportedly Not Interested In Trading Kyrie Irving

November 27th, 2025 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

As trade speculation swirls around the struggling Mavericks in the wake of Nico Harrison‘s dismissal from the front office, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said during Wednesday’s episode of the Howdy Partners podcast (YouTube link) that he doesn’t view point guard Kyrie Irving as a serious candidate to be moved during the 2025/26 season.

“What I would tell you about Kyrie is the Mavericks do not want to trade him,” MacMahon said in response to a question from his ESPN colleague Michael C. Wright. “… The only way I think that Kyrie Irving would get traded is if he went to the Mavericks and asked for that to happen. And I don’t have any information that points in that direction.”

As MacMahon explains, while the Mavericks intend to build around No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, that doesn’t mean they want to purge their roster of veteran talent and ask a teenager to become the face and voice of the franchise. Flagg is the NBA’s youngest player and won’t turn 19 for a few more weeks.

Pointing out that Irving has been a respected leader in the Mavericks’ locker room since the team acquired him from Brooklyn in February 2023, MacMahon suggests the point guard still fits into the plans in Dallas going forward and that the Mavs’ preference would be to have Irving “on the floor, in the starting lineup, and as the leader of the team next year.”

What that means for Irving’s playing status this season remains to be seen. During a recent appearance on The Hoop Collective podcast, MacMahon stated that Irving is making good progress from the ACL tear he suffered last March, but speculated that the 33-year-old might not play in 2025/26 “for other reasons.” On Wednesday, he provided more clarity on that remark.

“That was too cryptic. Let me just be clear,” MacMahon said. “The other reason is because this is the one year the Mavericks can benefit from being bad. That’s it. Because they don’t have control of their own (first-round) pick in ’27, ’28, ’29, and ’30. So they’ve got this (2026) pick, and that’s the only pick they control of their own during Cooper Flagg’s rookie deal.”

The Mavericks are off to a 5-14 start this season and have an uphill battle ahead of them to get back into the postseason picture in the Western Conference, especially if they trade some of their other veterans by the February 5 deadline. In other words, the club could be well positioned to snag another lottery pick in 2026 before once again trying to contend for the playoffs in 2026/27.

One reason Dallas has played so poorly this fall is the absence of big man Anthony Davis, who has missed 14 consecutive games due to a calf strain. Davis is expected to make his return on Friday or Saturday, which should make the team more competitive in the short term. However, MacMahon, who previously reported that the Mavs are expected to explore the trade market for Davis this season, stressed on Wednesday that he still very much expects that to happen.

“Trading AD is a real possibility – and I would even say likelihood – this season,” MacMahon told Wright. “Trading Kyrie is not something that’s on the Mavericks’ priority list, or it’s just straight up not something that they are interested in doing right now.”

Irving is in the first season of a three-year, $118.5MM contract that he signed with Dallas over the summer.

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