3 trades to consider if Anthony Davis has played his last game for Mavericks

Christian Clark of The Athletic reported on Saturday that, according to NBA personnel, the Mavericks "won’t be able to trade Davis before Feb. 5. Davis’ trade value was already low because of his contract (he is owed $58.5 million next season and holds a $62.8 million player option in 2027-28) and his durability concerns. This hand injury only lowers his trade value."

However, the Mavericks are staring down the barrel of a tank, as they sit with a 14-24 record. Anthony Davis is going to be out for probably 6 weeks, and if they were smart, they'd just hold him out the rest of the season. 2026 is the last of their draft picks they own until 2031, and they need to find more young talent to surround Cooper Flagg with.

They could always give themselves more bites at the apple with draft picks by trading away some veterans, and they could have some players who could fetch them a decent return. Here are three players the Mavericks should look to trade to try and get some other draft picks.

1. Naji Marshall

Dec 27, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (13) reacts after a play against the Sacramento Kings during the third quarter at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

There is expected to be some interest in Naji Marshall, who is on a great contract, and contending teams need wing help. He signed with Dallas to be on a contender, but hasn't gotten that because of Nico Harrison's ineptitude. One team that could look for some extra help on the wing is the Detroit Pistons. They could trade Paul Reed and their 2026 first-round pick for Marshall, who could give them a solid veteran presence and another good perimeter defender.

2. Daniel Gafford

Jan 6, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Daniel Gafford (21) drives to the hoop against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

A lot of teams have expressed interest in Daniel Gafford, who has not played his best basketball this year. But between the Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Toronto Raptors, there is a deal to be had somewhere for Gafford, who is on a good contract. Indiana isn't going to give up its 2026 first, the Lakers don't have a first to trade, and neither the Warriors nor the Raptors have a clean way to do it. But there has been a little chatter about sending Gafford to Indiana for Bennedict Mathurin, which could be an intriguing bet on a young talent.

3. Klay Thompson

Jan 6, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson (31) reacts after the Sacramento Kings commit a turnover in the second quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Klay Thompson isn't going to net any first-round picks. In fact, the Mavericks would be lucky not to have to attach any draft capital to get off his contract, but they may be able to talk a contender into taking him on for a playoff run for a different bloated salary. One team that does need a shooting lift is the Orlando Magic. A Klay Thompson and D'Angelo Russell for Jonathan Isaac and Tyus Jones trade works monetarily; could they squeeze a second-round pick out of Orlando for taking on Isaac's contract? Because he still has three years, $44 million remaining on his deal, but it's partially guaranteed next year ($8 million if he plays 52 games this year, or a day after the NBA moratorium), and then it's a non-guaranteed deal for 2027-28 and 2028-29. Worst case, Tyus Jones would be an expiring contract, and he hasn't played well this year.

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