Mavericks' Anthony Davis trade sweepstakes suddenly boils down to two teams

The NBA trade deadline will be here before we know it, and the two teams that have shown the most interest in trading (subscription required) for Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis are the Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks. This report from Jake Fischer notably left out the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls, even though they've both been in Davis rumblings for weeks. The real heavy hitters appear to be in Toronto and Atlanta.

This intel dropped on Tuesday morning after Davis missed his 16th game of the season last night due to a left calf contusion. Davis' left calf has been giving him issues since the beginning of the season, and this uncertainty around his durability seems to be a concern around the league.

He has struggled to stay on the court for his entire Mavericks career. Nonetheless, the Hawks and Raptors seem to be intrigued by the potential of adding the 10-time All-Star paint beast to their core. Davis remains one of the best bigs in the NBA when he's fully healthy, and he has flashed some of this greatness over the last few weeks.

Anthony Davis trade sweepstakes comes down to two real suitors

In his last five games, Davis is averaging 20.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game. He has been one of the most impactful players on both ends of the floor since he re-entered the lineup after a 14-game hiatus due to a left calf strain, and his recent play is a perfect example of how dominant he can be when he is at his best.

He is shooting 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from beyond the arc over the last five games as well, and every game that he plays adds to the case that rival teams should trade for him. Toronto and Atlanta could both use some help, as the Raptors are the No. 3 seed in the East while the Hawks are the No. 8 seed, and a trade-deadline splash for a player like Davis could change everything.

Toronto and Atlanta are both one piece away from entering top-tier conversations within their conference, and Davis could truly shift the balance of power out East.

Despite this interest from teams like the Hawks and Raptors, the Mavericks aren't dying to get rid of Davis. They know that it took the hefty price of Luka Doncic to even get him to Dallas, and the Mavs want to be competitive for the rest of the season rather than tank.

This outlook could change over the last few weeks, but for now, Dallas is fine with holding onto Davis if they have to. According to Fischer, the Mavericks would "only be willing to part with the centerpiece of their infamous Doncić deal last February if the trade brings back a return of real consequence."

Whether Toronto or Atlanta can offer a package of this magnitude remains to be seen, but they should be viewed as the frontrunners for Davis for the time being.