Analyst delivers bold Mavericks trade deadline prediction with Anthony Davis

The Dallas Mavericks are still in trade rumors regarding Anthony Davis.

Jan 6, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) reacts after being fouled against the Sacramento Kings in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

The Dallas Mavericks are less than a month away from the NBA trade deadline, where they will look to decide Anthony Davis' future.

The Mavs acquired Davis on Feb. 1 of last year in the Luka Doncic blockbuster that broke the NBA. However, things are not moving in the right direction for the Mavericks as they are under .500 and are looking for ways to move closer to a future with Cooper Flagg as the main option for the team. Bleacher Report contributor Andy Bailey believes the Mavericks will trade Davis ahead of the deadline.

"The Dallas Mavericks hanging onto oft-injured and soon-to-be-33-year-old Anthony Davis, scratching and clawing for a play-in spot they might not even get and ending up with a 2026 draft pick in the middle of the first round? Or trading Davis, deciding there's no reason to bring Kyrie Irving back, tanking a little bit and giving themselves a chance to add AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer or Darryn Peterson to Cooper Flagg?," Bailey wrote.

"When you look at the two options side-by-side, choosing the former almost seems unconscionable. And although we saw the Mavs do the unconscionable just one short year ago, the author of the Luka Dončić trade is gone. The motivation now should be getting out of the crater that deal created. The basketball gods blessed Dallas with plenty of rope to climb by sending Flagg their way, but it needs to follow up his selection with forward-thinking moves."

READ MORE: Sacramento Kings make injury announcement for starter ahead of Mavericks game

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis drives to the basket as Houston Rockets center Clint Capela defends. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Mavericks urged to trade Davis

It's tough trading away the main centerpiece of the deal that sent away your franchise cornerstone. But it's an unfortunate reality the Mavericks have to consider. The team won't win without Davis, and they could get a lot of value from him as of right now because he is healthy and can still win a championship with another team.

He can't win a championship with the Mavericks at this moment in time because the roster around him is not built for that. They are built to develop with Flagg as their No. 1 overall pick, so that's the direction they need to go in.

If they can fully commit to that direction and trade Davis, it will help Dallas get closer to the playoffs, even though they may be taking a step backward.

The NBA trade deadline is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 5 at 2 p.m. CT.

READ MORE: Anthony Davis makes his stance on trade rumors with Mavericks clear

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