Mavericks urged to make disastrous Anthony Davis trade with East bottom feeder

There's no doubt that the 2024-25 season for the Dallas Mavericks was one to forget after making the 2024 NBA Finals. The Mavericks were eliminated in the 2025 Play-In Tournament by the Memphis Grizzlies to end the season.

Injuries and the backlash after the Luka Doncic trade were the main topics of the season. However, hope is back in the air with the Mavericks winning the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery to have the chance to select Duke's Cooper Flagg in just over a week.

Moving forward with Flagg, the Mavericks will need to put together a strong roster that can help develop Flagg quicker with star players and experienced leaders around him. Even with star players already on the Mavericks roster, some think that they should be traded to fully rebuild around Flagg, and one new idea has a trade that the Mavericks should not consider at all.

Mavericks would collapse if they make this Anthony Davis trade

On June 4, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report wrote an article titled "At Least 1 Trade Idea for Every Team Watching 2025 NBA Finals at Home." Bailey's article involved a trade involving the Mavericks and Charlotte Hornets, surrounding Anthony Davis.

Although the return for Davis can be solid, as the Mavericks would land three future first-round picks and a proven player in Miles Bridges, this is a trade the Mavericks can't make or afford to make with Davis in the package.

At 32 years old, the Mavericks are in a win-now phase with Davis on the team. Davis' production, despite dealing with injuries, is still an important one as he remains one of the best defenders in the NBA.

Davis played in nine games for the Mavericks and averaged over 20 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks per game. Davis made his presence known defensively every single game and was a monster in the paint.

The best moments Davis had as a Maverick came when his 27 points lifted the Mavericks to a win in the first game of the Play-In Tournament against the Sacramento Kings. Despite losing the next game to the Grizzlies, Davis recorded 40 points. Davis' 40 points were a career-high in a Mavericks uniform, and he was one of the only bright spots for Dallas in that game.

Davis was the main player the Mavericks received from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Doncic trade, and the Mavericks need to let Davis get adjusted to Dallas' system more and at least give the current squad a shot to contend for a title. With Flagg projected to go first overall, Davis will need to be there for Flagg to help develop him and grow his confidence. Davis and Flagg will form one of the most frightening defensive duos in the NBA, and Nico Harrison has to at least see if they can contend with Davis, Flagg, and Kyrie Irving before completely blowing it up.

Another reason for needing to keep Davis is because of Irving. It's unclear when Kyrie Irving will be back after tearing his ACL in March. Without Irving, Davis will be relied on heavily to pick up the scoring, along with Flagg, Klay Thompson, and Dereck Lively II.

Although getting three first-round draft picks in return is solid, Dallas' main future will be Flagg. Along with that, the first-round picks might have much value as Davis could make Charlotte into a Play-In worthy team.

As solid as players Bridges and Jusuf Nurkic might be, there's no guarantee that either of them would be part of Dallas' long-term plan. Nurkic is a free agent after 2026, and Bridges is a free agent after 2027. Having Bridges and Nurkic be free agents in a two-year span could put general manager Nico Harrison in a tough position of what to do with them.

More trades will be projected all offseason long for NBA teams, ass media and fans alike always like to pitch different trade proposals that would make sense. A recent trade target for the Mavericks that was projected was Derrick White of the Boston Celtics, which would be far more enticing. However, this Charlotte trade idea surrounding Davis is one to not consider.