Anthony Davis trade rumors prime Mavericks to reunite with controversial former star

The Atlanta Hawks have a real interest in an Anthony Davis trade, and this could mean that Kristaps Porzingis is bound to become a Dallas Maverick once again. The rumors surrounding Davis are peaking, even after he got injured on Christmas Day, and the Hawks seem to be one of the frontrunners for the star big man.

Porzingis played two and a half seasons in Dallas before getting traded to the Washington Wizards at the 2022 trade deadline, and he could be reuniting with the Mavs once again if Atlanta trades for Davis. His time in Dallas did not go according to plan, thanks to injuries, poor chemistry with Luka Doncic, and other factors, and Mavericks fans came to resent him by the end of his time in Dallas.

He admittedly didn't give full effort in the 2021 NBA Playoffs due to the role that Rick Carlisle assigned him, and fans were ready to see him traded. Porzingis never lived up to the high expectations that were placed upon his shoulders when Dallas acquired him from the New York Knicks, and he never became Doncic's co-star like he was supposed to.

Porzingis could return to Dallas if Davis heads to Atlanta

Now, over three years after being traded by the Mavs, it looks like he could be coming back if the trade chatter with the Hawks becomes even more serious. Dallas still hasn't decided if they want to move on from Davis or not, but if they do, a trade with Atlanta centered around Porzingis and future first-round draft capital makes too much sense to ignore.

Trae Young will not be part of a potential trade between Dallas and Atlanta, meaning that Porzingis' expiring contract, worth nearly $31 million, is the next biggest deal that the Hawks can use to match Davis' $54 million that he is owed for this season.

Trades are all about making the money work, and trading Porzingis will be key if the Hawks truly want Davis (without involving a third team). It wouldn't make sense for them to trade rising star Jalen Johnson for an aging Davis, leaving Porzingis and likely Luke Kennard as two players who could be part of this deal.

Both Kennard and Porzingis are on expiring deals, meaning that Dallas would be able to create significant cap space for next summer if they traded for them. The Mavericks are eyeing expiring contracts in any trade for Davis due to the future flexibility that they provide, and a shocking reunion with Porzingis may be the best way for them to obtain that goal.

No Mavericks fan would've ever expected the team to bring back Porzingis after the way things ended in 2022, but this potential trade between Dallas and Atlanta is about much more than him. While Porzingis still provides some value, he shouldn't be expected to be a massive on-court contributor by any means.

Dating back to his time with the Boston Celtics, he is dealing with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, also known as POTS. This condition causes dizziness, extreme fatigue, and increased heart rate just from standing up, and he has only played in 44 regular-season games over the last year.

Porzingis would provide strong shooting from the mid-range and downtown if acquired by the Mavs, but he likely wouldn't stick around for long. Dallas would move on as soon as they could, likely by letting him walk in free agency next summer, but the possibility of him coming back is intriguing (and ironic) to say the least.