Dallas Mavericks star forward Anthony Davis has already been linked to teams such as the Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, and New York Knicks.
Milwaukee Bucks Could Trade For Anthony Davis
However, one team in particular could really use the 10-time All-Star: the Milwaukee Bucks. Pairing Davis with Giannis Antetokounmpo would create one of the most dominant low-post combos in the league.
The Bucks could send Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, Kevin Porter Jr., and their 2027 and 2032 first-round picks for Davis, Dante Exum, and Brandon Williams.
Now could be the right time for Milwaukee to pull the trigger on a blockbuster deal.
Amid a five-game losing streak and disappointing 8-10 start to their season, the Bucks need another superstar to make another NBA Finals appearance with Antetokounmpo.
Davis Has Missed Several Games Due To Injuries
The biggest problem with Davis is that he’s often injured.
Davis played in only nine regular-season games for Dallas last season after arriving as the centerpiece in the return package of the Luka Doncic blockbuster trade.
The 6-foot-10 Davis was recovering from an abdominal injury at the time of the trade and strained his adductor in his Mavs debut. He missed six weeks because of that adductor injury.
During the offseason, Davis also underwent a procedure to repair a detached retina that he suffered near the end of the 2024-25 season. He sustained his right eye injury in Dallas’ 120-118 win over the Atlanta Hawks on April 2.
Davis is now wearing goggles for the remainder of his career.
In total, Davis has appeared in just 14 of 52 possible games for the Mavs since that trade deal.
Davis’ Trade Value No Longer As High
While Davis’ extensive injury history could discourage teams from making a trade deal, another concerning issue is his three-year, $175.36 million contract.
Per Spotrac, Davis is earning $54.1 million this season and $58.5 million in 2026-27, with a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28. The 14-year-old veteran will be extension-eligible next summer.
All of this means the Mavericks are in no position to be greedy.
During Monday’s episode of The Hoop Collective, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps explained that Davis’ trade value is nowhere near as high as some might think at this point of his career.
“The idea of trading Anthony Davis has everyone trained to think, well, they’re gonna get three firsts, two swaps, they’re gonna get two young players and they’re gonna get all this stuff,” Bontemps said around the 33:00 mark.
“I shouldn’t say it’s not gonna happen… but, you talk to people in the league, there’s not a lot of teams that are lining up to take on a 35-year-old Anthony Davis making $63 million, and you have to assume that he’s gonna opt into that deal.”
The Mavs first have to find a suitor who can make the salary match in a trade.
