Even Anthony Davis knows the Mavericks are ready to trade him

The NBA trade season is upon us, as the first NBA star is officially on the move. Trae Young was traded to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. This paves the way for Anthony Davis to be next.

The Dallas Mavericks' forward has been in trade rumors over the past month, as it is clear the team is ready to move on from the experiment, something Davis is aware of. Early reports have indicated that Dallas hasn't ruled out giving Davis an extension, but all of this is likely just a ploy to gain leverage for a better trade return for the 10-time All-Star big man.

Davis and his camp understand that there might not be a real future (subscription required) for him in Dallas, and Rich Paul has even pushed for the Mavericks to be more diligent about evaluating his trade market. It's a message they've heard loud and clear, and Davis' Mavericks journey looks like it'll be over before it even begins.

According to Sam Amick and Christian Clark of The Athletic, "his camp is clearly convinced that there’s not a long-term future for him in Dallas."

Why Davis' representatives don't see a long-term future in Dallas

This further implies that a trade could be forthcoming. If both sides can't find common ground on a future with the Mavericks that includes an extension this summer, then it's likely Dallas could look to continue towards the trade market.

Davis' camp doesn't believe the Mavericks will extend him this summer, and they want to end up somewhere that is comfortable with signing him to an extension in August.

Dallas has made it clear they are ready to build around rookie Cooper Flagg, as they have explored the possibility of trading Davis across the league. This expresses the notion that Davis' time in a Mavs uniform may be coming to an end.

Not to mention, it heightens the notion that the Luka Doncic trade still haunts Dallas to this day. Basically, implying the team is trying to undo the costly trade that fans desperately didn't ask for by trading Davis for expiring contracts.

Remember, one of the reasons the Mavs want to trade Davis is due to his expected contract extension. Davis is currently eligible for a four-year $275 million extension this offseason.

So, the idea is simple: trade Davis now before Dallas loses him for nothing or is forced by Klutch to sign him to a contract extension. Additionally, his recent surge in injuries has left fans disappointed, as they have made it clear that they are ready to make Flagg the future.

One team that could pick up the phone and show interest in acquiring Davis is the Atlanta Hawks. The Eastern Conference team is in desperate need of a big man, as they have the assets to make a trade work. Remember, Dallas has shown interest in former No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher and the Pelicans’ unprotected 2026 first-round draft pick if Atlanta were to work out a deal.

Now, Atlanta has it clear that they are unwilling to include both assets mentioned above in a trade package. However, if their interest in Davis is real, then it's very likely they would have to include one of the assets.

Not to mention, Atlanta could likely make something happen after it traded Trae Young last night. The Hawks can now fully focus on acquiring Davis. It's possible a deal between Dallas and Atlanta could include the expiring contracts of Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard, plus one of the assets above.

Assuming a trade can be worked out, then this would be a great sign for Dallas. They would be able to begin their rebuild around Cooper Flagg and flip the page from the Luka Doncic trade. This is something that Davis' camp is on board with, as Amick and Clark reported that they believe that "the Mavericks are better suited using a Davis trade to help expedite the rebuilding effort around Flagg."

So, in simple terms, let the Flagg era begin.