NBA trade season is here, will the Dallas Mavericks be buyers or sellers?

The NBA's trade season is unofficially here. Monday, December 15th, marked the date when most people who signed contracts this offseason became trade-eligible, making it easier to match salaries in trades. And rumors have been swirling about the Mavericks, specifically around big men Anthony Davis and Daniel Gafford. But are the Mavericks looking to be buyers or sellers?

It's been a weird year for the Mavericks. Injuries have limited the team's potential, and they started the season 5-15, but they've since won 5 of the last 6 games, including big victories over the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and Miami Heat. So, which direction are they leaning?

Christian Clark of The Athletic published a report on Monday where he indicated that the Mavericks may actually look to stand pat or buy more than they're going to outright sell.

"According to team sources The Athletic has spoken with, the Mavericks are signaling a desire to be competitive for the rest of the season, even though Dallas’ 2026 first-round pick is the last of its own first-round picks it has outright control of until 2031," Clark wrote. "The Mavericks have won five of six games, and, as it was pointed out to The Athletic, it would be difficult to meaningfully improve their lottery odds compared to where they are now because of the gulf in talent between Dallas’ roster and the NBA dregs populating the bottom of each conference.

"That doesn’t mean the Mavericks are unwilling to be sellers ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline. The team is expected to listen to offers on many of its veteran players, including Anthony Davis, league sources said. But the Mavericks are acting as though they are comfortable keeping the core of their roster intact through the rest of this season if there aren’t deals out there they feel good about."

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

The Mavericks Should Focus on Being Sellers This Season, But Only for the Right Offers

As Clark pointed out, the Mavericks don't have outright control of their first-round picks from 2027 to 2030. 2027 is a top-two protected pick owed to the Charlotte Hornets for the P.J. Washington trade, 2028 is a pick swap owed to the OKC Thunder as part of the Daniel Gafford trade, 2029 is owed to the Brooklyn Nets as part of the Kyrie Irving trade (the Houston Rockets now have the swap rights to acquire this), and 2030 is a pick swap owed to the San Antonio Spurs as part of the Grant Williams sign-and-trade.

They do own their 2026 pick, and it may be the last chance the Mavericks have to pair another elite young prospect alongside Cooper Flagg, who looks like a future star. If an offer comes across the table, whether that's to get some of their own picks back or to acquire other picks in that timeframe, they have to at least listen, especially if it involves Daniel Gafford or Anthony Davis.

The biggest issue is that the Mavericks don't have a solidified general manager to make personnel decisions. They fired Nico Harrison, deservedly so, and promoted Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi to be the co-interim GMs. How hard is it going to be for them to collaborate on a trade? Other GMs may try to swindle them in the meantime, but they do need to accumulate other picks, especially if they can get off the salaries of D'Angelo Russell, Caleb Martin, and/or Jaden Hardy.

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