LA Clippers Trade Proposal Lands Anthony Davis In Swap With Dallas Mavericks

James PierceyJanuary 8, 2026January 8, 2026

Photo by Nick White/DallasHoopsJournal.com

The Western Conference has offered little margin for error this season, and the Los Angeles Clippers are finding that out the hard way.

With Oklahoma City (31–7), San Antonio (26–11), and Denver (25–12) separating themselves at the top — and a deep middle tier led by the Lakers (23–12), Timberwolves (24–13), Rockets (22–12), and Suns (22–15) jockeying for position — the Clippers have slipped into the conference’s crowded lower half. At 12–24, they sit well outside the top eight, grouped with teams already wrestling with direction rather than seeding.

That context matters. The Clippers are not just losing ground — they are running out of structural answers. They are closer in the standings to rebuilding teams like Utah (8–29) and New Orleans (8–31) than to legitimate contenders, a precarious place for a roster built to win now.

Zach Lowe says they may be desperate enough to make a trade for Anthony Davis.

Nobody questions Davis’ talent. He remains one of the premier two-way big men in NBA history. Durability, however, has been an ongoing concern, and acquiring him would represent a calculated gamble rather than a clean solution. Still, in a West where even modest slippage can bury a season, the Clippers may view a bold swing as preferable to drift.

If that’s the route they choose, here’s the best deal they could offer the Mavericks.

NBA Trade Proposal: Clippers Land Anthony Davis

Dallas Mavericks Receive:

John Collins
Bogdan Bogdanovic
Derrick Jones Jr.
Chris Paul
2032 First Round Pick (LAC)

Los Angeles Clippers Receive:

Anthony Davis

Why the Dallas Mavericks Do the Deal

The optics are uncomfortable for Dallas. In the end, Luka Dončić would have been converted into a collection of veterans and unprotected future draft capital rather than a singular franchise-defining return.

That reality cannot dictate decision-making. The Dončić trade was a miscalculation, but the Mavericks cannot compound it by clinging to sunk costs. What matters now is what came next — and the opportunity to draft Cooper Flagg fundamentally altered Dallas’ timeline.

With Flagg in place, the Mavericks’ priority shifts toward asset flexibility and optionality. Collins and Derrick Jones Jr. are movable contracts who should retain value around the league, while Chris Paul provides either a clean buyout path or a short-term veteran presence who can stabilize a young locker room. Most importantly, the additional first-round pick reinforces Dallas’ ability to build patiently rather than chase urgency.

This deal is less about winning now and more about controlling the next phase. With Flagg on the roster, that is the correct posture.

Why the Los Angeles Clippers Do the Deal

The Clippers do not have a Cooper Flagg waiting in the wings. They have limited draft capital, an aging core, and a narrowing competitive window. In that environment, patience becomes a luxury rather than a strategy.

There is a more conservative path available. The Clippers could attempt to extract modest future assets by moving Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, or Ivica Zubac and recommit to internal development. That approach would be rational — and deeply unappealing to a franchise that has spent years positioning itself as a contender.

Anthony Davis offers a different answer. When healthy, a core built around Davis, Leonard, Harden, and Zubac remains imposing on both ends of the floor. The ceiling may not be championship-level, but the floor is significantly higher than the alternative. In a Western Conference where relevance is fleeting, Davis provides the Clippers with something tangible to sell — competitive basketball in the present.

If the standard is title equity alone, this is a flawed bet. If the goal is to avoid irrelevance while the window remains open, it is a defensible one.

Bigger Picture

The Western Conference is unforgiving. For teams without a clear identity or direction, inertia is its own form of failure.

Dallas has clarity. Cooper Flagg gives the franchise a long runway, and this deal reflects a willingness to prioritize future leverage over short-term discomfort. The Mavericks are not positioned to contend immediately, but they are positioned to build deliberately — and that matters more than optics.

The Clippers are operating under different constraints. With limited avenues to reset and significant resources already committed, they are left choosing between caution and conviction. A buy-low swing on Davis is risky, but standing still carries its own cost.

Even if it does feel a bit desperate.

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LA Clippers Trade Proposal Lands Anthony Davis In Swap With Dallas Mavericks