NBA analyst calls for Mavericks to trade Anthony Davis after Kyrie Irving injury

Has Anthony Davis played his last game as a Maverick?

Feb 8, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) celebrates after Davis dunks the ball during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks are in a precarious situation. General Manager Nico Harrison, for better or for worse (definitely for worse), traded Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis because he felt it was a better move to win now. Those plans took a hit once Davis left 31 minutes into his Dallas debut with an adductor strain, then took a pummeling when Kyrie Irving tore his ACL against the Sacramento Kings in early March.

Harrison willingly shrunk the Mavs' title window from 10 years with Doncic to 2-3 years with Davis. And year one is already looking like an absolute disaster, such a disaster that year two could also be a wash. So should that change the Mavericks' plans this offseason?

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ESPN's NBA analyst Tim Bontemps believes the Mavericks should trade Anthony Davis this summer, as he said on a recent episode of the "Hoop Collective" podcast with Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon.

"I don't think Anthony Davis should ever play for the Mavericks again. He shouldn't play the rest of the season, and they should trade him this summer... Nico Harrison talked about them having a three or four-year window with this group, that included this season. Kyrie Irving is going to be a 33-year-old guard who just had a catastrophic knee injury who has a player option for next season. You basically have to write him off being a major contributor for next season... Anthony Davis will have one year guaranteed left on his deal. He's going to be approaching his 33rd birthday. This team really has no ability to contend as it stands now."

“I'm going to be honest, I don't think Anthony Davis should ever play for the Mavericks again. He shouldn't play the rest of the season, and they should trade him this summer.” 👀👀👀

- Tim Bontemps

(Via Hoop Collective / h/t @ClutchPoints )

pic.twitter.com/tlhTr57Lzn

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 5, 2025

This is an interesting strategy the Mavericks could consider, but it's hard to imagine Nico Harrison changing course this soon. Even if he could recoup some of the value he lost in the Luka Doncic trade, he doesn't want to be a general manager forever and clearly wanted Davis as his star player. But it's hard to see this team contending next season, even if Davis gives them 65-70 games and Kyrie Irving returns to his usual self late in the 2025-26 season.

READ MORE: Kevin Durant delivers emotional response about Kyrie Irving's season-ending injury

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