Mavericks aiming for one specific asset in potential Anthony Davis trade

The Dallas Mavericks have reached a crossroads with star forward/center Anthony Davis. It seems like they're ready to move on and trade him, but finding a team willing to trade for him and give up a significant asset or two doesn't feel possible, as teams don't trust his injury history at his current contract.

One team that has shown legitimate trade interest is the Atlanta Hawks, but finding a deal between them is proving to be difficult. The Hawks seem more motivated to move on from Trae Young, while the Mavericks would like expiring contracts, draft capital, and a young asset. One piece of draft capital they're really trying to get is the pick that the New Orleans Pelicans traded to the Atlanta Hawks.

︀︀“I can tell you with certainty that the Mavericks have been trying to pry away that New Orleans Pelicans pick away from the Hawks, for some time now," Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix reported. "That has been on the mind of the Mavericks’ front office for some time now.”

If that is the return they're trying to get, good luck. The Hawks were gifted an unprotected 2026 first-round pick from the Pelicans, which is a best-swap with the Milwaukee Bucks (meaning, the Hawks would now get the better of the two), and that's looking to be a VERY good pick in the most talented draft, on paper, that we've seen in a long time. And all the Hawks had to do to get that pick was trade down 10 spots in the 2025 draft from 13 to 23. They know what they have in that pick, and they're probably not going to give it up.

Jan 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) reacts after scoring during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

A Deal May Be Falling Apart Between Mavericks and Hawks

NBA insider Marc Stein went into a little more detail about discussions between the clubs, and it seems to be fizzling out, as he said there hasn't been any "meaningful traction" on a potential deal. Even if the Mavericks could be open to trading anyone on the roster not named Kyrie Irving or Cooper Flagg (or P.J. Washington, since he's ineligible to be traded until after the season), there have to be other teams interested.

The Golden State Warriors could be a team to monitor, as the Draymond Green situation could be reaching its boiling point. They'd like for him to end his career as a Warriors, but it's becoming clear that he's hurting their ability to win. On Saturday night against the Utah Jazz, the Warriors were down in the second quarter when Green was ejected for the second time in two weeks, and they then went on to win by double digits without him.

They want to maximize the Stephen Curry era while they can, and Draymond Green may not be the best option for that anymore.

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