Mavericks' best Anthony Davis trade partner is now hiding in plain sight

The external trade interest surrounding Anthony Davis has definitely died down following his left hand injury that will keep him out for the next month or so, but one team that should definitely consider getting in the mix for the Dallas Mavericks' star big man is the Charlotte Hornets.

The Hornets have won five of their last 10 games, a major change of trajectory after beginning the season 4-14. These five victories haven't been against bottom feeders either. Charlotte beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, and Orlando Magic in this stretch, and they are finally beginning to put things together.

Their young trio of Kon Knueppel, LaMelo Ball, and Brandon Miller is starting to gel at the right time, and while they probably won't be a playoff team this year, they could easily be in the hunt to break their nine-year playoff drought next season. A trade for a player like Anthony Davis would help them achieve that goal, and it wouldn't break the bank either.

Charlotte has the pieces to make an Anthony Davis blockbuster feasible

Davis is pushing for an extension this summer, which is obviously a risky decision to consider, but his trade value has never been lower. The Hornets could get away with sending Dallas matching salary and potentially one pick to get the trade to go through, and Charlotte has several assets that the Mavericks should be eyeing as the February 5 trade deadline creeps up on them.

For starters, the Hornets own the Mavs' 2027 first-round pick, and that should be at the top of Dallas' wish list. They need as much draft capital as they can get to build around Cooper Flagg, and retaining the rights to their draft pick for next summer would be an outstanding move that fans would be ecstatic about.

Along with this coveted draft selection, Dallas could net players like Miles Bridges and Collin Sexton in a deal. Sexton and Bridges straight-up for Davis would work salary-wise, and this would help the Mavericks achieve their goal of bringing in expiring money to free up cap space.

Sexton's $19 million contract expires after this season, and Bridges would only be on the books for the rest of this season and next season. Dallas would get a test run to see if the former Michigan State Spartan would fit in their rotation, and if he didn't, they could promptly move on after the 2026-27 season.

The Mavs would possibly be acquiring their own 2027 first-round pick if they were able to strike up a deal with the Hornets, allowing them to rebuild around Flagg for one more season before getting serious about contending for the 2027-28 season. The reasons that Dallas and Charlotte should engage in trade talks for Davis stretch far beyond just the Mavericks' benefit, as Davis' addition would help them fix their abysmal defense.

When he's on the floor, Davis is one of the most impactful defenders in the NBA. His versatility while switching on the perimeter, rim protection, and presence alone are enough to elevate a team's defense by himself, and the Hornets are in desperate need of a bump on that end of the floor.

Charlotte has the No. 20-ranked defense in the NBA despite having an elite offense (No. 8 in the NBA for the season and No. 1 over the last two weeks), and Davis would help fortify their frontcourt and help them push for the playoffs as soon as this season. Rookie center Ryan Kalkbrenner has been a major steal for them and a bright spot, but outside of him, the Hornets lack major difference-makers down low.

Davis would shake up the entire composition of the team, and the cost to bring him in would be low.

Charlotte has always struggled to land key free agents, and at this point, if they want to bring in a star, they're going to have to trade for him. 10-time All-Stars aren't available every day, and the Hornets should take a long and hard look at Anthony Davis from Dallas.

The Mavericks have been shopping him for some time now, and with the Hornets owning their 2027 pick as well as expiring and soon-to-be-expiring money, Dallas should definitely give them a call. This would be a low-risk, high-reward-type move for both sides, and the Hornets may be the perfect landing spot for the all-world defender.