New List of Anthony Davis Suitors Emerges, Were the Chicago Bulls Mentioned?

While the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talk has stolen the spotlight over the last week, there is another superstar who could be on the move even sooner.

Anthony Davis' situation in Dallas remains a major talking point. News dropped in the middle of November that the Mavericks planned to work with Davis to explore trade destinations in the lead-up to the February deadline. With GM Nico Harrison fired and No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg now in the mix, taking a more long-term approach appears to be the franchise's plan.

Nevertheless, which teams would throw their hat in the ring for the one-time champion has been unclear. His long-standing injury trouble remains a major red flag, particularly when considering that he is in the first year of a three-year, $175.4 million contract extension. To be sure, a healthy version of Davis is still arguably a Top 10-15 player in the NBA. He is a dominant rim protector and an incredibly overpowering offensive force. Adding him could come with an incredibly high reward, but a franchise has to be willing to accept the equally high risk.

Again, this is presumably why it's taken a while for a list of suitors to emerge. Front offices have needed time to calculate how big a swing they could justify to ownership mid-season. To be sure, 25 games likely isn't enough for any team to pull the trigger on a deal, but it is proving to be enough for some teams to finally consider a Davis pursuit.

ESPN's Shams Charania offered an update on the Davis situation on Tuesday. Not only did he say that Davis has emerged as a "critical trade target" for multiple teams, but he name-dropped three Eastern Conference squads that could get involved. The Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and Toronto Raptors were each specifically mentioned as organizations "expected" to join the Davis sweepstakes.

Detroit currently sits at the top of the East, while the Raptors have shocked many with their 15-10 start that has them 4th. The Hawks are further down the totem pole in 9th, but they are only one full game back from tying the Raptors. All three have a young core that is hungry to take the next step, and Davis is the kind of talent that can help them accomplish that.

With that said, Charania's article had one key omission. Despite the many early-season connections, the Chicago Bulls were not listed as one of the teams currently angling to make a run at the Mavs' star.

Chicago Bulls Left Off List of Anthony Davis Suitors

Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks — Dec 3, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) passes the ball as Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (12) defends during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Chicago Bulls were arguably the team most heavily connected to Anthony Davis early on this season. To be sure, a lot of that was driven by pure speculation. Chicago is one of the few franchises with the financial flexibility and assets to acquire a player like Davis. Likewise, their 6-1 start made it appear as though they could be one of those young teams ready to make a big leap.

Eventually, the speculation turned into a full-blown report. ESPN's Jamal Collier shared that the organization held internal conversations about a potential Davis pursuit. They reportedly decided that now was not the right time to chase a superstar addition, but the talks seemingly confirmed that Davis was a player the front office had its eye on. So, could the Bulls' stance change?

Dropping to 9-14 and in the thick of a seven-game losing streak, Charania's report all but confirms that the Bulls have distanced themselves from Davis. While it's always possible that new rumors emerge in the coming weeks, a pursuit of the ten-time All-Star never felt like it made much sense.

Even when the Bulls were off to their hot start, no one was prepared to declare them a true postseason threat. Only franchises that believe they are a move away from contending should be mortgaging their future on a player like Davis. The Bulls would be crazy to consider themselves a part of that camp.

At the same time, this franchise has shown time and again that it does not have the stomach for a true rebuild. And that will make the next month or two a fascinating test for this front office. Arguably, no team in the league looks better equipped to be a trade deadline seller than Chicago. They have multiple players on expiring contracts, including potential high-end contributors like Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu.

Would they finally be willing to go down that road and prioritize lottery odds, though? Whether we like it or not, a panic trade for a win-now contributor does not feel above this brain trust, which is why Davis may have to remain on our radar for at least a little longer.