Zach Lowe Outlines Bold Plan For Dallas Mavericks Amid Anthony Davis Trade Rumors

Jake RogersDecember 26, 2025

Anthony Davis, Dallas Mavericks, NBA, Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

As the Dallas Mavericks continue to search for footing in an uneven season, a prominent NBA analyst is urging restraint rather than reaction.

Following Dallas’ 126–116 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day, Zach Lowe outlined what he views as a more pragmatic path forward — one that avoids forcing a flawed Anthony Davis trade and instead embraces what he described as a “soft tank.”

Speaking on the latest episode of The Zach Lowe Show, Lowe pushed back on the idea that Dallas should feel pressure to move Davis amid mounting speculation and recent injuries. His argument centered on both the league-wide landscape and the Mavericks’ limited incentive to rush into a deal that fails to meaningfully improve their outlook.

Zach Lowe Sees No Clear Anthony Davis Trade Worth Making

Lowe was blunt in his assessment of the current trade market for Davis, particularly given Dallas’ recent play and the realities of the standings.

“I just don’t think there’s a really good AD trade,” Lowe said. “They’re seven and five in their last 12 games. There’s something fun happening with Cooper and Anthony Davis together. No matter what they did, I don’t think they could out lose any of the following teams. I don’t think they can out lose Utah because of the pick that Utah owes. I don’t think they could out lose Sacramento because they’re Sacramento. I don’t think they could out lose the Wizards. I don’t think they can out lose the Pacers, who are in the greatest one-year tank position since the Spurs tank for Tim Duncan. And I actually, despite the fact that they’re playing really frisky ball and some of the young guys are starting to pop a little bit, I don’t think they can out lose the Nets.”

Dallas enters the post-Christmas stretch at 12–20, a record that reflects inconsistency but also intermittent competitiveness. Lowe argued that reality places the Mavericks in an awkward middle ground — not good enough to contend, but not positioned to fully bottom out either.

Patience Over Urgency At The Trade Deadline

Rather than chasing marginal returns at the trade deadline, Lowe emphasized the value of patience, especially with Davis currently sidelined.

“So if I’m stuck in that nether world, I’m not making an Anthony Davis trade that sucks just to make it,” Lowe said. “Particularly now since he’s injured, I’m riding it out. I’m going to sort of organically soft tank my way and hope the lottery guards are kind to me like they were last year. Maybe not this kind. And I’m coming back next year with AD, and Kyrie, and Cooper Flagg.”

Davis suffered a right groin injury during the Christmas Day loss to the Golden State Warriors, a factor Lowe noted would further suppress trade value. Moving an injured star, he argued, rarely yields a return commensurate with the player’s true impact.

A Soft Tank Built On Flexibility, Not Surrender

Lowe’s proposed approach stops well short of a teardown. Instead, it prioritizes long-term flexibility while allowing the season to play out organically. Dallas, in his view, should continue to compete nightly, develop its young core, and avoid sacrificing value simply to signal action.

The Mavericks benefited from lottery fortune last season, landing the No. 1 overall pick, and Lowe acknowledged that while a repeat outcome is far from guaranteed, preserving optionality gives the franchise its best chance to recalibrate in the offseason.

Under this framework, Davis would be allowed to recover fully, the roster would remain intact through the deadline, and front-office decisions would be revisited with clearer information in hand.

Dallas will attempt to halt its slide Saturday evening when it faces the Sacramento Kings at 4:00 p.m. CST as part of a three-game road trip.

For now, Lowe’s message was unambiguous: there is little incentive for the Mavericks to rush into an Anthony Davis trade that does not meet the organization’s standards. Whether Dallas can balance competitiveness with patience may ultimately determine whether this “soft tank” path proves to be the right one.