An Anthony Davis demand is something the Mavericks 'loathe'

The Dallas Mavericks have not hidden their desire to trade Anthony Davis. He's getting older, has been constantly hurt in his time as a Mav, and his exorbitant contract makes the books look rough for the next few years. Trying to find a trade destination for him, though, has been tough.

The Toronto Raptors have been mentioned as a possibility, but there is one thing standing in the way of any trade, and it's something the Mavs "loathe:" Davis' desire for a new three-year contract extension. He's eligible for a new contract this offseason, but he still has $58 million left for next year, and then has a player option for nearly $63 million for the 2027-28 season.

"The Raptors have certainly had conversations about what it would mean to try to trade for the soon-to-be 33-year-old, but instance timing matters: Acquiring Davis is the definition of a win-now move, given the big man’s injury history," Michael Grange of SportsNet wrote on the chances the Raptors trade for him. "A three-year extension he is said to be looking for — and which the Mavericks are loathe to give since they are centring their future plans on 19-year-old Cooper Flagg — would keep him on the books until his age-37 season in 2029-30. The deal could be worth up to $275 million. But even if it was a shorter deal for less than the maximum he is eligible for, it is still a significant risk for any acquiring team. Even if Davis was available for a steep discount, the timing doesn’t seem right for the current Raptors club."

Dec 12, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) walks back up the court during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

What Would a Mavericks-Raptors Trade Even Look Like?

The difficult part about trading with the Raptors is that they don't have any large expiring contracts, which is what the Mavericks would like in a trade for Anthony Davis. They're trying to clean their books as much as possible, and that isn't doable in this instance.

Dallas would have to take back either the contract of Jakob Poeltl or Immanuel Quickley, and both contracts are absolutely horrific. Quickley is due $32.5 million for each of the three seasons after this, while Poeltl has over $103 million owed to him in the next four years. Even including RJ Barrett in a deal with them, who has been playing well, doesn't make it that attractive, and it may be hard to convince the Raptors to give up two first-round picks to get off of either Quickley's or Poeltl's contract.

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