Anthony Davis' camp blasts Mavericks over dangerous trade gamble

Anthony Davis’ camp is going on the offensive. They are letting the Dallas Mavericks know they are not pleased with how the trade rumors surrounding Davis are being handled. And Rich Paul has decided to turn up the heat in the winter, at the absolute worst time for Dallas. The Mavericks are trying to find their footing in negotiations that are quickly spiraling out of control.

 Davis is a valued client of Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports Group. And Paul recently made time on his “Game Over” podcast with Max Kellerman to wax philosophical about NBA basketball, and more specifically, his client, Anthony Davis.

Paul seems nonplussed that Dallas is trying to trade Davis due to a recent rash of injuries that were beyond his control. However, it appears that he wants to take a glass-half-full approach, while Dallas has to consider the future. Paul strongly feels that Dallas can be a major contender next year if Kyrie Irving and Davis come back fully healthy, along with Cooper Flagg and next year’s first-round draft pick.

Paul feels Dallas put Davis in unnecessary danger before a potential trade

Admittedly, Dallas may have taken an unnecessary gamble playing Davis as much as they have recently if they intended to trade him this season before the deadline. However, Davis’s early stint on the injured list spurred Dallas management to play him in recent games to show that he was still a viable trade piece that could help the right team get over the hump.

Davis’s camp might be feeling like Dallas is jeopardizing his chance to sign a max extension with potential suitors based on his recent hand injury. Paul emphasized this on his recent podcast with Kellerman. Paul summed up Dallas’ decision to play Davis in recent games as akin to playing in traffic.

Paul stated, “I do think when you have that trade speculation out there, you have to make your mind up because sometimes when you play in traffic, you get hit by a car. If you plan on trading somebody, there’s a time.”

Unfortunately, Davis has been hit. Over and over again since he arrived in Dallas.

Paul further elaborated on the delicate nature of knowing when to play Davis and when to pull back. “It’s almost a gamesmanship to it. You’re trying to go a little longer, a little longer, and see the most you can get out of somebody. When you do that, you run a risk…”

Dallas' indecision may cost both sides

This has been Dallas’ issue all along.

They wanted the best of both worlds. They kept flirting with making a late-season playoff push instead of fully committing to the rebuild. Once Davis showed he was healthy and capable, he probably should have been shut down immediately until he was dealt to his new team.

It’s been done before. When it was clear that Davis wanted out of New Orleans to team up with LeBron James in Los Angeles, the Pelicans held him out for extended periods of time. They sat him for two weeks (more than nine games) before the trade deadline in 2019, and then sat him again for the final seven games of the season to ensure his health and tradability. Davis ended up being traded to the Lakers after the season.

The Mavericks ignored this blueprint and are paying for it dearly. Now, they have Rich Paul applying public pressure on the organization to give Davis the max extension that he wants. Paul even feels the Mavs may be more competitive next year with a full roster and first-round draft pick in tow.

"There is a world you come out of this draft with a great draft pick, that you're looking at the following year and saying ‘now wait a minute, we got these two young guys on rookie contracts that are really good that are able to really still play the game at a high level...We have a Kyrie and an AD. Who are champions," Paul emphasized. "It’s not totally negative."

Paul's job is to look out for the best interests of his client. And he feels Davis' stock has taken a hit due to Dallas's indecisiveness.

Davis could've once felt that staying in Dallas was his best bet to getting his max extension payday. But if Dallas has finally decided to trade him to build for the future, it may be a little too late for both sides.

And ultimately, no one will get what they really wanted.