NBA trade idea sends Mavericks' Anthony Davis to Eastern Conference bottom-dweller

The Dallas Mavericks have a lot of motivation to move on from star forward Anthony Davis. Besides him being the primary return for the worst trade in NBA history, the one that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, he can't stay healthy, and his salary is too large for a team that projects to be a second-round team next year.

The Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors have been the two teams connected most often with Davis, as they could be desperate enough to make a trade in an effort to make a playoff push once he returns from his current hand injury, one that is supposed to keep him out for at least six weeks. However, CBS Sports' Sam Quinn believes there's one team that makes sense, and yet no one is talking about it: the Charlotte Hornets.

For the many reasons that Quinn lists, there are two that stand out. The first is that the Hornets currently have the Mavericks' 2027 first-round pick as a result of the P.J. Washington trade. It is top-two protected, but the Mavericks would like to have full control of that pick, if possible. The second is that the Hornets actually have the space below the tax apron to make it work, so they could take on some veteran deals. Here is the deal that Quinn proposed.

Mavericks Receive: Miles Bridges, Josh Green, Grant Williams, Pat Connaughton, Mason Plumlee, 2027 first-round pick (DAL's own)
Hornets Receive: Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, D'Angelo Russell

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 Big Issues With This Mavericks-Hornets Trade Proposal

This trade would reunite the Mavericks with two bad contracts that Nico Harrison handed out in Grant Williams and Josh Green. It would also give them Miles Bridges, who isn't exactly a fan-favorite around the NBA. While this would give the Mavericks their 2027 pick back, it may not be enough in expiring salaries to make it worth it.

There are a few issues with that trade, though, as the Mavericks can't reacquire Josh Green, according to Spotrac. The Mavericks would also have to cut someone to make this trade go through. So, let's rework the deal in a more complicated four-team trade to help facilitate this.

Mavericks Receive: Tobias Harris, Grant Williams, Pat Connaughton, 2027 first-round pick (DAL's own)
Hornets Receive: Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, D'Angelo Russell
Detroit Pistons Receive: Miles Bridges, Josh Green
Brooklyn Nets Receive: Paul Reed, Dante Exum, 2027 second-round pick (DAL, via DET), 2029 second-round pick (MIL, via DET)

The Detroit Pistons may not want to mess with anything since they've been having a great season, but this would be a low-cost move to get two possible rotation players, and Miles Bridges has more versatility than Tobias Harris. The Nets get two free second-round picks for helping move salaries around, and the Pistons have a lot more to give away if it comes down to it.

Meanwhile, Dallas would receive $36 million in expiring salaries between Harris and Pat Connaughton. While they'd be stuck with the Grant Williams deal, he only has one more year remaining after this year, so it's palatable. But this trade would also get them OFF of the nearly $81.9 million they would owe to Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and D'Angelo Russell next season. That kind of cap relief would be huge for them as they try to clean up their books while getting their own pick back for 2027.

Sending Dante Exum to the Nets would also give the Mavericks the ability to sign Ryan Nembhard to a standard NBA contract, something they'd like to do before the end of the season.

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