Mavericks' Anthony Davis trade chaos quietly hands Lakers a shot at Klay Thompson

The Golden State Warriors showed interest in trading for Anthony Davis earlier this season, but with the Dallas Mavericks searching for expiring contracts, draft capital, and young assets in any Davis trade, more teams would definitely need to get involved. Multi-team trades are common when big stars with mammoth contracts are on the move, and we could see a Davis trade expand to several teams if the Mavericks decide to move on.

Dallas would likely stray away from bringing back players like Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler in a potential deal with the Warriors, and this trade could get massive quickly if a team like Golden State has a rejuvvanaated interest in the injured star paint beast. It goes without saying that the Mavericks are exploring trades for Klay Thompson as well, and regardless of where Dallas trades Anthony Davis to, Thompson could find himself on the move in the same deal or a subsequent one, as well.

It would be challenging to trade Thompson in the same deal as Davis, but not impossible, and this may be the perfect time for the Los Angeles Lakers to trade for the seasoned sharpshooter. The Lakers offered Thompson a four-year, $80 million deal in the summer of 2024 before he signed with the Mavericks, and now they have their chance at adding him ahead of the February 5 trade deadline.

Dallas' Anthony Davis decision could cost them Klay Thompson

Thompson wants to play for a contender, and with Dallas' season quietly slipping out of reach (nine games back from a top-six seed in the West), they could decide to do good by him and trade him to a top team. By no means has Thompson demanded a trade, and seems happy playing for the Mavericks, it may be in their best interest to move on while his value is at a high.

Thompson is averaging 18.0 points per game while shooting 49 percent from downtown over the last six games, and he is showing the rest of the league exactly why they should trade for him. He can still get as hot as anyone in a hurry, just like he did for the Warriors back in the day, and the Lakers could be taking notes from the shadows.

Los Angeles is 2-5 in their last seven games, and their 3-point shooting has been one of their weaknesses all season long. The Lakers are 24th in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 34.8, and they obviously need more floor spacing around Luka Doncic for the final stretch of the season.

They haven't done the best job of building around Doncic in his first year in Tinseltown, and a trade for another proven shooter could prove to be the golden ticket to turning their season around. Los Angeles obviously needs other pieces as well, including a wing with size and defensive versatility, but surrounding Doncic with 3-point snipers is a recipe for success.

He is one of the greatest shot creators that this league has ever seen, and he makes life easy for the shooters that are playing alongside him. Having the chance to play with Doncic was one of the main reasons that Thompson signed with the Mavs in 2024, but that opportunity was quickly stripped from him when Doncic was traded to Los Angeles last season.

Thompson's current situation in Dallas is nothing like what it was supposed to be, and if Davis gets traded, he could be next on the chopping block. Moving on from Davis would be the ultimate tell-tale sign that the Mavericks are embracing a rebuild around Cooper Flagg, and Thompson could look for a trade out of Dallas as well to pursue his fifth ring on a proven playoff team.

The Lakers are a few pieces away from being a powerhouse in the West, and bringing in would help them get back on track. He is one of the best shooters that this league has ever seen, and given his former interest in joining the Lakers, this could be a team that he targets a trade to as the trade deadline nears.

Thompson is playing his best basketball of the season right now, giving the Mavericks every chance to keep him heading into next season, but they could elect to capitalize on his trade value while they still can. Anthony Davis getting moved could put things into motion for Thompson, and the Lakers could end up walking away with an elite deadline acquisition in Thompson if they play their cards right.