This trade offer could end Mavericks' Anthony Davis era

The Dallas Mavericks are testing the waters with the trade deadline just a few weeks away.

Last year, the team made a major splash by sending Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. Now it's Davis who could be dealt by the Mavericks. His hand injury could complicate things, but that doesn't mean he's completely off the table. CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn suggested a trade that would send Davis and Dante Exum to the Toronto Raptors for RJ Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, Ochai Agbaji, and two first-round picks.

"There are two possible forms an Anthony Davis trade could take. The first is the simpler one. If the Mavericks are willing to do what the Hawks did with Trae Young, they could probably move him just for expiring money. The Clippers, with a roster full of impending free agents, would make sense in this regard. If they want real value back, they're probably going to have to take back bad money," Quinn wrote.

"That's where the Raptors come in. They'd give up value for Davis, yes, but a lot of this boils down to Dallas taking back Barrett, whose contract is short but a bit bloated, and Poeltl, whose deal is far too long after a totally unnecessary extension last offseason. If they take on this money that most teams wouldn't want, then they could generate some meaningful pick value.

"Toronto's pick this year would be in the middle of the first round. In 2028, who knows, but even with that protection, remember that the Raptors handed the Spurs the No. 8 pick on a top-six protected choice for Poeltl a few years ago. Even if it lacks "win the lottery" upside, a pick can still be pretty useful."

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis reacts after being fouled against the Sacramento Kings. | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Davis trade proposal sends him to Raptors

This could be a solid trade package for the Mavericks to take on because they get two first-round picks for Davis, which is essentially adding on to what they would get for Doncic. But they also get Barrett, who could be a secondary scorer next to Cooper Flagg and a better fit long-term. They also get a center replacement with Poeltl, but he has also been dealing with injuries, as Davis has.

It's hard to envision the Raptors making this trade after the Davis hand injury, but that's why they do physicals before the trade can be made official. If his medical records for Toronto aren't too concerning, the Raptors should be more inclined to do it.

However, given his injury history, the Raptors might not be willing to give up two first-round picks for him as well. If they aren't willing to give any future picks, the Mavericks shouldn't do the deal. If just one first-round pick comes to Dallas in this proposal, it definitely sweetens the offer for the Mavericks.

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