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These 3 NBA Teams Must Consider Trade For Dallas Mavericks Star Anthony Davis Amid Rumors

James PierceyJanuary 6, 2026January 6, 2026

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Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis has had a rollercoaster of an NBA career. He’s a future Hall of Famer. Davis was one of the most anticipated prospects to enter the league in recent years, and he’s mostly made good on those predraft expectations. Even now, the production hasn’t fallen off. Davis is averaging 20.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 18 games this season, continuing to perform like a franchise-level big when he’s on the floor.

Unfortunately, issues with his durability have persisted. Over the past few seasons, Davis has bounced between campaigns in the mid-50s in games played and rare near-ironman years in the 70s, underscoring why front offices view him as both a star and a risk. If he could have stayed healthy consistently, who knows what he might have accomplished?

In any case, here we are. Davis’ injury history — combined with a massive long-term contract that runs into his mid-30s — has made him a fixture in trade rumors, and he’s back in the rumor mill once again. The timing is notable. The Mavericks are 13-23 this season, and uncertainty around the roster has only intensified questions about the franchise’s direction.

If the Mavericks do make him available, here are three teams that should take a long look at him.

San Antonio Spurs

Surprised to see the San Antonio Spurs on this list?

Think about it — why not? The Spurs are one of the league’s most intriguing teams. They have a surplus of assets and a 20-year-old cornerstone already playing at an All-NBA level in Victor Wembanyama. If the right distressed star becomes available, there’s a real incentive to accelerate their timeline.

If San Antonio acquired Davis, the Spurs would instantly become one of the few teams capable of matching up with Oklahoma City in a playoff series. A frontcourt tandem of Davis and Wembanyama should terrify the rest of the league. With the French phenom shooting 36.5% from three this season, spacing concerns between the two would be minimal. The Spurs have been comfortable letting Wembanyama fire away from deep, and his efficiency validates the idea that two-big lineups wouldn’t clog the floor.

Defensively, the pairing would make it borderline impossible to score inside.

If there’s a reason to hesitate, it’s their combined durability concerns. But the Spurs shouldn’t flinch. They’re already committed to building around Wembanyama long term, and that alone makes them the envy of the league. If health breaks right, doubling down on elite upside could create a matchup nightmare for years.

Phoenix Suns

The Phoenix Suns are another team that falls under the “why not?” umbrella, though for a different reason than the Spurs.

Unlike the Spurs, Phoenix doesn’t have a surplus of assets. What it does have is a bleak draft outlook. Because of past win-now moves, the Suns are tied up in swaps and outgoing first-rounders for the foreseeable future. That reality leaves them with almost no incentive to tank.

That’s exactly why they should be interested in Davis.

Phoenix’s path to improvement is almost entirely through trades, and a buy-low swing on an injury-prone star makes conceptual sense. The Suns could also use a clear upgrade in the frontcourt. Khaman Maluach looks years away from being ready, and Mark Williams currently profiles closer to an elite backup than a long-term starter.

The Suns are also a surprising 21-15, despite recently acquiring Jalen Green, who has appeared in just two games. If the Mavericks were interested in Green as the centerpiece of a Davis deal, Phoenix could justify the move by leaning into the success it’s already found without him.

Given their lack of future draft control, maximizing the present may be their best option — and Davis would clearly raise their ceiling when healthy.

Toronto Raptors

Like the Suns, the Raptors have taken the league by surprise in 2025-26. At 22-15, they’re better than most expected. Perhaps most impressively, they’ve done it with Jakob Poeltl spending nearly half the season on the sidelines. Without him, Toronto has been shockingly light on reliable big-man play.

Davis could be the solution. Even when Poeltl returns, Davis’ preference for playing power forward would allow Toronto to maintain its size-driven identity while dramatically raising its defensive and offensive ceiling.

There’s also precedent here. This is an organization known for buying low on injured stars. In 2018, Toronto flipped DeMar DeRozan, Poeltl, and a protected first-round pick for Kawhi Leonard, despite Leonard’s quad injury and contract uncertainty. That gamble was widely viewed as risky at the time.

It also produced an NBA title.

Tying Davis to that history matters. The Raptors have already proven they’re willing to take a swing on a banged-up superstar if the upside is a real shot at contention. With Poeltl sidelined and the team already outperforming expectations, Davis fits squarely into that high-risk, high-reward mold.

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