Rich Paul wants 'clarity' from Mavericks about plans for Anthony Davis

Are the Mavericks going to trade or extend star forward Anthony Davis?

Nov 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) warms up prior to the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Trade rumors are swirling around the Dallas Mavericks' frontcourt, as a lot of smoke surrounds Daniel Gafford and Anthony Davis. It's no secret that the Mavericks would like to move off of Davis for a few different reasons, but it's tough to find a market for him.

The interesting thing is that Davis is eligible for a contract extension this offseason. He's in the first year of a three-year deal that'll pay him over $175 million, and while he does have a player option for the third year, it's hard to imagine any team will want to pay him nearly $63 million by the time he's 34 years old. A team could extend him, opting him out of that year, but what number will appease both sides?

And that's something that Anthony Davis' agent, Rich Paul, the CEO of Klutch Sports, wants some sort of clarity on, per Mike Scotto of HoopsHype.

"Therefore, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, who represents Davis, has sought clarity on whether the franchise plans to trade Davis before the deadline in a rebuilding effort around prized rookie Cooper Flagg, or if they plan on working out an extension and competing at a high level," Scotto wrote.

"The Mavericks are currently evaluating how Davis returns to form, develops chemistry with Flagg, and how much he impacts the team’s chances at winning, league sources told HoopsHype. Currently, Dallas has a 6-5 record when Davis plays and has a 10-17 record overall."

READ MORE: Will Mavericks star Anthony Davis play, prove trade value against Detroit Pistons?

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

If Those Are the Mavericks' Two Choices, One is Obvious

The Mavericks are more likely to explore trade options for Davis than they are to extend him. It's becoming pretty obvious that they need to focus on Cooper Flagg's timeline and build around him for the future, and the team isn't going anywhere as currently constructed.

However, it's hard to find perfect trade opportunities for Davis. The Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks have at least explored some interest, per multiple reports, but they don't have surefire trade options that would entice the Mavs. By all accounts, the Mavericks have a high asking price for Davis, who is still a huge difference-maker, but his value isn't that high around the NBA because of his injury history and contract.

The biggest priority should be accumulating future draft assets. Nico Harrison depleted the stockpile of picks, as the Mavericks don't have any tradeable firsts until the 2030s, and even their stock of second-rounders is mostly gone. If they can get two unprotected firsts out of trading Davis, even if it's years down the line (which should be the preference anyway), they have to consider it.

READ MORE: Five questions ahead of Cade Cunningham, Pistons vs. Mavericks

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