Hornets make power move in wild mock trade for Mavericks' Anthony Davis

The Charlotte Hornets aren't known for their ability to make splashy moves in free agency or trade, but it could happen one of these days.

In a recent article by Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report, he detailed one trade idea this offseason for every team that is not in the Finals. His ideal target for Charlotte? Anthony Davis.

Below is the projected trade he threw together, along with his analysis.

Hornets would receive: Anthony Davis

Mavericks would receive: Miles Bridges, Jusuf Nurkić, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2031 first-round pick

Andy Bailey's explanation for the trade idea

"Jusuf Nurkić's deal expires after this coming season. Miles Bridges' is done the year after that. Neither would be likely to be around the next time Dallas is truly competitive. This is about getting out of the contract of a post-prime and oft-injured Davis (who's far more expensive than Nurkić and Bridges and under contract through 2028) and picking up multiple picks with which to build around Flagg."

"For Charlotte, this would obviously be a move to send it in the opposite direction of the one laid out above. Pursuing Davis would almost certainly mean keeping Ball. Those two would be a dynamic inside-out combo, especially with Miller providing some floor spacing on their flank."

My two cents:

Uh, yeah, that's not happening. Anthony Davis was acquired because Nico Harrison viewed him as a critical piece defensively for a roster he believes can win now. They have Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, AD, and later this month, Cooper Flagg. Shipping of AD to Charlotte for an aging Nurkic, a slightly above-average starter in Miles Bridges, and three firsts just doesn't make any sense. If the Mavs want to pursue a championship now, which they should, this would be knocking them back a few steps.

Not only do I believe Dallas would turn this deal down, but I don't see Charlotte being interested in this either. Jeff Peterson is all about building a war chest of draft picks and getting younger, not older. Charlotte already has enough injury concerns; the last thing they need is an expensive 32-year-old big man with a known injury history, who doesn't fit their timeline.

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