Mavericks’ Anthony Davis trade they desperately need hinges on juicy report

While Anthony Davis will likely undergo surgery to repair ligaments in his left hand, the Dallas Mavericks were blessed with news from ESPN's Shams Charania and NBA insider Marc Stein earlier today. Charania reported that Dallas is having renewed conversations with multiple teams in regard to trading Davis, while Stein reported there's optimism Davis could return sometime in March this season, but Dallas' prospects in terms of trading Davis could hinge on when exactly he returns.

It's great to see there's still a chance at trading Davis, as it seemed like all hope was lost following his recent injury report, but what type of return the Mavericks could get in a prospective trade is still unknown, as it still seems unlikely teams will be lining up at the door to acquire him. So long as the Mavericks are getting something decent in return, it's in their best interest to get out of the Davis business if they can garner an even decent return, but Davis' return timeline could jeopardize this.

There's obviously optimism Davis can return in March as Stein reported, but being only 23 days away from the trade deadline, things could go haywire if a finite timetable for Davis' return is established, and it's clear there's a chance he may not be ready to play till after the playoffs start.

A Davis trade may still be in play, but his return date will dictate it

If Davis has enough time to return and get up to speed with a prospective trade suitor, it'd make trading for him a lot more plausible for another team, as it's extremely difficult to re-integrate someone halfway through a playoff run or at the tail-end of the regular season. Davis would have to learn to play with a whole new squad on the fly while simultaneously trying to get himself back into playing shape, which could turn into a disaster for any team trying to trade for him.

This is a tough balance for the Mavericks to strike right now, as trading Davis is easily their best course of action if he hasn't turned into a negative asset, but his value is constantly in flux given these injuries. While a sense of optimism toward his return in March is nice, the lack of a clear timetable or return-to-play plan could be upsetting for prospective suitors as Dallas approaches the deadline.

Teams may not be willing to shift from preliminary discussions to actual bargaining on a Davis trade if it gets announced, he'll be out longer than mid-March, so the Mavericks have to hope and pray Davis can get healthy as quickly as feasibly possible. Most Mavericks fans were extremely excited at the news of Davis' trade market not being completely cooked yet, but this saga isn't over quite yet.

Mavericks fans shouldn't be surprised if the team is so eager to get out of the Davis business that they make a trade similar to the Trae Young trade the Atlanta Hawks just made, as trading Davis may not warrant even one young player or draft asset like Mavericks fans want. Ultimately, the return Dallas gets could largely depend on Davis' final return timetable, as teams likely won't part with any intriguing assets for him unless they think he can really help in the playoffs in time.