Sources Around NBA Believe Dallas Mavericks Should Trade Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving

Sources around the NBA believe the Dallas Mavericks should trade Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

The Mavericks, who fired Nico Harrison on Tuesday, are 3-9 on the season. They are in 13th place in the Western Conference standings.

“The belief, from sources I spoke to, is that the Mavs moving on from at least Davis, if not both stars, was the optimal strategy,” Bontemps wrote. “Those moves would help maximize the 2026 first-round pick in a loaded 2026 draft class — the only selection Dallas controls the rest of this decade — to reposition the franchise around 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.

“‘Absolutely,’ an Eastern Conference executive said when asked whether trading the two veteran stars was the right path for Dallas.”

Davis has played in just five games this season. He’s currently out with a left calf injury. The future Hall of Famer has appeared in only 14 games with the Mavericks since the Luka Dončić trade.

Meanwhile, it’s unknown when Irving will be cleared by doctors to play again. The All-Star point guard tore his left ACL last season in March against the Sacramento Kings.

Davis is making $54.1 million this season, while Irving is making $36.6 million. Neither star has a no-trade clause.

“I just looked it up so I could say this to my owner if he asks me about it, AD is turning 33 in March and he’s going to be in position next summer where he’ll probably want a contract extension that would cost $70 million per year when he’d be 37,” one NBA general manager told ESPN. “He’s a great player, full stop. But when you consider a player at his age with his injury history, you’d also be trading for the stress of that extension. That plays into it.”

Davis is averaging 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game this season while shooting 52.0% from the field, 27.3% from beyond the arc and 74.2% from the free-throw line. He turns 33 in March.