Anthony Davis trade guide: Risks, Mavs' timeline, five proposals - ESPN

The Anthony Davis saga has taken its next step.

Just in time for the unofficial start of NBA trade season — players signed in the offseason become eligible to be moved Monday — suitors for the Dallas Mavericks' 10-time All-Star forward are beginning to emerge. League sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday that the Atlanta Hawks, Toronto Raptors and the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons are expected to be in that group.

While the Mavericks explore options, which still include signing Davis to an extension this offseason, any interested teams must also weigh the risks. Those include Davis' age — he'll turn 33 in March — his injury history and contract status.

The reward: When healthy, Davis can elevate a team to true contender status, as seen when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019-20 en route to his first NBA title.

As teams around the league ponder potential offers for Davis, our NBA experts are breaking down every angle of the situation facing Dallas and its star big man, including how quickly the Mavs' remade front office will move and five trade proposals the franchise could consider — some wilder than others.

Jump to a section:
How Davis and the Mavs got here
Why a trade features massive risks
Intel: How quickly will Dallas move?
Davis to: DET | ATL | TOR| GS | SA

In the fog of shock and anger that trailed the Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade, it can be easy to overlook what former Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison thought he was getting.

Davis was in the midst of a strong 2024-25 season for the Los Angeles Lakers, averaging just under 26 points on 53% shooting, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Davis was arguably on the way to his best season in L.A., statistically trending even better