The one thing keeping Dallas Mavericks from trading Anthony Davis

The Dallas Mavericks are caught in a dilemma after firing Nico Harrison as the general manager last week. It's clear to everyone that Anthony Davis does not fit on this roster. They already have a fun and effective center duo with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II, two players who are best suited at power forward in P.J. Washington and Naji Marshall, and a star rookie that operates best by getting to the rim: Cooper Flagg.

They also have a SEVERE lack of guard talent. Kyrie Irving is recovering from a torn ACL, but even once he returns, there needs to be an upgrade somewhere along the perimeter. Max Christie has been solid, but he's probably not a starter for a contending team, Klay Thompson has been more effective coming off the bench, and D'Angelo Russell has been unplayable in half the games this year.

Anthony Davis also will just never be welcomed by Dallas fans because of why he's here. Even if it's not his fault, it'll just be nearly impossible to be accepted by the fanbase, and that clearly matters.

As nice as it would be to trade him, there's one thing reportedly stopping it: his weight.

"Multiple teams are interested in trading for Davis, sources said, but those teams believe Davis needs to lose weight so he can be the mobile threat he usually is," DallasHoopsJournal reported.

Davis showed up to training camp at around 268 pounds, which is 15 pounds heavier than he normally plays at, and he looked like it, too. He didn't have his usual defensive effectiveness, and he was clogging up space on offense.

He tried to downplay it, saying he uses camp to get into shape, but that's not the real reason. Davis had a procedure in the offseason to repair a detached retina, which likely kept him from working out for 6-8 weeks. It's only natural that any person in that situation would gain weight, but he wouldn't say that.

Nov 8, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Injured Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis looks on from the bench during a timeout against the Washington Wizards in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Anthony Davis To Be Re-Evaluated Due to Calf Injury

Anthony Davis is set to miss his ninth straight game due to his left calf strain. Before Sunday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers, which ended up being an overtime win, the Mavericks announced that he'd miss at least another week.

"Anthony Davis, who has missed the last eight games due to a left calf strain, was recently re-evaluated.

"The evaluation indicated that Davis is making good progress with his recovery. He will be re-assessed in 7-10 days and further updates will be appropriately provided."

Those 7-10 days equal at least 5 games, and could be as many as 7 if the re-evaluation doesn't extend out even longer. Remember, when he first suffered the calf strain, they said he'd be re-evaluated in 1-2 games. And that was nine games ago. Nico Harrison pushed for him to return early, which could've resulted in a worse injury, but there's a reason he's not here anymore, thankfully.

Anthony Davis, who has missed the last eight games due to a left calf strain, was recently re-evaluated.

The evaluation indicated that Davis is making good progress with his recovery. He will be re-assessed in 7-10 days and further updates will be appropriately provided.
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) November 16, 2025

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