Conflicting Reports Surface of Anthony Davis Trade Demand Away From Mavericks

So, does Anthony Davis want to be a Maverick or not?

Dec 12, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) looks to pass the ball during the game between the Mavericks and the Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

It's no secret that the Dallas Mavericks would like to trade Anthony Davis if the right opportunity presents itself. But they're not going to make a trade for the sake of making a trade, even if it's clear that both sides need to go their separate ways.

Anthony Davis wants a contract extension. The Dallas Mavericks want a good player who will play more than 30% of available games. This can only go one way.

A report surfaced on Thursday that Rich Paul, the CEO of Klutch Sports, has demanded the Mavericks trade Anthony Davis within the next week, saying it was "per ESPN," but there were no attached videos or articles to back that up. Is it believable? Absolutely; no agent holds as much sway as Rich Paul, but there was nothing to confirm it.

And then, NBA insider Marc Stein came to everyone's rescue. He confirmed that he has not heard anything of the sort. "Asked about this repeatedly in the past hour … when I checked was told that no such request from Rich Paul has been issued. Such a request would make little sense with the deadline two weeks from today," Stein posted on Twitter/X.

Asked about this repeatedly in the past hour … when I checked was told that no such request from Rich Paul has been issued. Such a request would make little sense with the deadline two weeks from today.

Coverage of the actual Anthony Davis latest here: https://t.co/2AEcpYAa4c https://t.co/XakMWDW0vQ

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 22, 2026

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The Mavericks May Want To Trade Anthony Davis, But It's Not Guaranteed

Although the Mavericks want to rid themselves of the Anthony Davis contract, they're aware of the optics if they were to just trade him for nothing. They don't mind sitting on their hands if it means finding a better trade package in return. ESPN's Tim MacMahon even reported that they could go into next season with Davis on the roster.

“I don't get the sense that AD is pounding on the door of the front office and saying, 'Get me out of here.' The Mavericks are exploring the market. They're being aggressive. They're having those conversations but they're not acting with a sense of urgency. They don't feel like they have to trade AD by the deadline. They don't feel like they have to trade him this summer. If Anthony Davis is on the Mavericks' roster to open camp next season, I don't think anybody in Dallas sees that as a major problem.”

Hopefully, the Mavericks find a way to move off him either at the trade deadline or over the summer. Going into the 2026-27 season with Davis on the roster would only set the franchise back further.

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