Inside the Mavericks’ Bold Playbook: 8 Shocking Anthony Davis Trades and a Secret 2026 Draft Gambit That Could Change Everything

Nico Harrison’s tenure with the Dallas Mavericks came to an inevitable close—just nine months removed from orchestrating a trade that many are already calling the worst in sports since Babe Ruth’s infamous Yankees move. It’s a long-overdue exit, but don’t let that fool you into thinking the chaos has magically subsided. The moment Harrison suggested swapping Luka Dončić for Anthony Davis should have ended his run immediately. Yet, Patrick Dumont hesitated, failed to block the trade, and has since been scrambling through missteps. Sure, Dumont talks about legendary players grinding daily with relentless focus, but the reality is the Mavericks’ leadership has become a case study in mismanagement—caught between overreach and underplay. Meanwhile, the interim bosses, Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, step into a mess left simmering since Finley clumsily humiliated Dončić just after their Finals appearance, framing a superstar as a flawed project rather than the burgeoning titan he is. Yes, Harrison’s gone now, seemingly the first step in Dallas’s painful self-reckoning. But turning the page won’t be simple. The Mavericks must now confront hard truths, including a complete teardown to chase a top lottery pick in a dazzling 2026 draft class—with names that promise hope amid the wreckage. Trading aging stars like Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving isn’t just an option—it’s a necessity. With pressure mounting to capitalize on recent draft luck, Dallas stands at a crossroads: rebuild diligently or risk fading further into irrelevance. The road ahead is murky, but it’s also paved with potential—if only the front office has the will to seize it.

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Nico Harrison finally got the boot from the Dallas Mavericks, a measly nine months after pulling off the worst trade in sports since the Boston Red Sox traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees. Better late than never, I guess?

But just because Nico’s changing his Instagram profile to read “unemployed,” it doesn’t mean the dumpster fire’s out. As soon as Nico floated the idea to trade Luka for Anthony Davis, Patrick Dumont should’ve fired him. But Dumont failed to stop the Luka trade, and then stumbled over himself at every chance since.

“If you look at the greats in the league, the people you and I grew up with — Jordan, Bird, Kobe, Shaq — they worked really hard, everyday with a singular focus to win,” Dumont said earlier this year, rationalizing the trade. “And if you don’t have that, you shouldn’t be a part of the Dallas Mavericks.”

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Righhhht. New owners typically barge in like they own the place (because they do) and over-meddle everything into chaos. That’s what we just witnessed in Phoenix as soon as Mat Ishbia bought the Suns. But in this case, Dumont under-meddled big-time. Unless the tinfoil-hat conspiracy about the Adelsons deliberately cratering the franchise’s value to drag it to Las Vegas has legs (which, full disclosure, I think is total crap), they simply just sleepwalked into trusting the GM they inherited from the Mark Cuban era and let him drain all the life from the franchise.

And who’d Dumont hire on an interim basis to replace Harrison? Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, the two assistant GMs that worked right underneath him. I can’t shake the clip of Finley ripping a beer out of Luka’s hand after the Mavericks punched their ticket to the NBA Finals just 18 months ago:

It’s been downhill ever since. At the time, it kinda-sorta read as tough-love leadership from a former NBA veteran in Finley who knows what sacrifices it takes to win a championship, like he did in 2007 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. But in reality the moment framed Luka as some flawed project instead of the cornerstone mid-20s supernova still revving toward his peak.

Yes, Nico is gone. Congratulations, Dallas. You’ve begun to hurl your ex’s clothes into the trash and started to move on with your life. Are things going to be better? Yes. Because stepping over a sidewalk crack counts as progress. But for Dumont and Harrison’s front office assistants to win the trust of the fans, they need to nail the next steps. And in my opinion, the roadmap couldn’t be any clearer.

Why Dallas needs to blow it up

The Mavericks have to blow it up and tank their butts off to increase their odds of landing a top pick in a loaded 2026 NBA Draft class. They have to trade Anthony Davis. They have to trade Kyrie Irving once he’s healthy. They have to trade Klay Thompson and Megan Thee Stallion. They have to trade D’Angelo Russell. And field calls on the younger vets like P.J. Washington, Caleb Martin, Daniel Gafford, and Naji Marshall. Everyone except for Cooper Flagg should be on the block.

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 08: Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks high fives teammates during a timeout in the second half against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on November 08, 2025 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) — Anthony Davis could immediately become the best player on the trade market. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images)

(Jess Rapfogel via Getty Images)

Now, you might be saying: But they just got the first pick to take Flagg with the 11th-best odds, so they don’t need to bottom out. Sure! You’re not wrong. But that had only a 2% chance of happening. And they had only a 9.4% chance of moving into the top 4 and a 90.6% chance of landing outside of the top 10. The Mavericks got incredibly lucky.

And now the circumstances have changed because of that good fortune. Flagg is a player worth building around, and current circumstances aren’t ideal with him running point guard for an aging group that has a zero percent chance of hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy. And from the front office’s standpoint, there is immense pressure to capitalize on the pick this year.

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The Mavs have their own first in 2026, then don’t have the rights to their own pick again until 2031 (the Thunder can swap with them in 2028 and the Spurs can in 2030). So this is effectively their last chance to land in the lottery and find a co-star for Flagg.

But as bad as the team has been to start the season, this is in part due to the absence of Davis and Irving. Harrison was dead wrong about this team being a championship contender. They’ve been lapped by multiple other teams in the West. But once healthy, they’re certainly play-in caliber. And that would be the ultimate worst-case scenario for a playoff-fodder team like Dallas. The time to tank is now.

The 2026 draft class is historic

The team with the worst record is guaranteed a top 5 pick. The second-worst record is guaranteed a top 6 pick. The third-worst record is guaranteed a top 7 pick. And right now, the Wizards, Pacers, and Nets are winning that race, each with 1-10 records. Finishing with the fifth, sixth, or seventh pick might seem unappealing in most draft classes. But this 2026 draft class is quite different. It could be historic.

All the attention is on Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, BYU wing AJ Dybantsa, and Duke power forward Cam Boozer, but this draft class is about more than them. Players like North Carolina power forward Caleb Wilson, Tennessee wing Nate Ament, and Louisville guard Mikel Brown could push for the top 3. Meaning, there are at least six players who a team would happily draft with a top 2 or 3 pick in almost any other year. It is undoubtedly the best class since the NBA flattened the odds in 2019 to actually lose on lottery night.

DALLAS, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 10: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks reacts during the fourth quarter of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks at American Airlines Center on November 10, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) — It’s time to surround Cooper Flagg with talent on his timeline, starting with the 2026 draft. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

(Sam Hodde via Getty Images)

We all know great players can be found all around the draft. Outside of the top two (shoutout Dirk Nowitzki), the teens, the late 20s, the second round, Hall of Famers get picked at every spot in the draft. But the highest odds of finding them have come at the top in every single era of basketball.

It’s early in the college basketball season. But already the draft class is feeling even stronger at the top than anticipated. By June, it might be even better given the development that can occur. To put it into perspective, some executives around the NBA say that if Flagg had never reclassified and were instead part of this 2026 group, he probably would be the third pick at best but could go as low as fifth or sixth. That is how special this group could be, so the chance to acquire one of them is why we’re already seeing teams bottom out so hard.

The Mavericks could end up with one of those picks without making any trades at all, obviously. But there’s an opportunity in front of them to be sellers. Davis would immediately become the best player on the trade market, and even if he doesn’t get traded now he won’t be in Dallas forever. Davis has one more guaranteed year on his contract, so he could become a free agent in 2027. There is no better time to trade him, at age 32, with three years and $175 million remaining on his deal.

Here are eight fake Anthony Davis trades, which don’t include draft pick considerations and don’t include small details in which a third team would need to absorb a player.

Tier 1 Fake Trades: AD Actually Makes Sense

1. Hawks: AD for Asa Newell, Kristaps Porziņģis, Luke Kennard, and two future firsts

Why Dallas does it: Welcome back, KP! Actually, it’s because KP and Kennard account for $41 million in expiring money. Newell is a nice, young, versatile big man. And the Hawks have some quality picks they could put together to fill gaps in the years the Mavericks currently don’t have any (like Milwaukee’s first in 2027 and Atlanta’s in 2029).

Why Atlanta does it: Porziņģis has not lived up to expectations so far this season, and the POTS issue he has may never go away. Davis is no guarantee to stay on the court either, but he certainly raises the team’s ceiling in a year the East is open.

2. Pistons: AD for Jaden Ivey, Caris LeVert, Tobias Harris, and two future firsts

Why Dallas does it: Ivey has struggled through injuries, but still retains a lot of potential as a complementary scorer next to a star. The Ivey-Flagg fit could actually end up working out in the long term. And plus, the Pistons have all of their future picks so they could get creative in acquiring preferred years.

Why Detroit does it: While Harris has been sidelined, the Pistons have stumbled into a lineup that’s working great: two bigs with Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart. The Pistons have played 80 minutes with them both and outscored the opponent by 13.7 points per 100 possessions. Acquiring AD would double down on what’s working, and stabilize the defense in those non-Duren minutes with AD out there.

Tier 2 Fake Trades: Talk Yourself Into AD After Beers With Finley

3. Grizzlies: AD for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Santi Aldama, Brandon Clarke, and three future firsts

Why Dallas does it: The Grizzlies have all of their future picks, plus the haul they acquired from the Magic for Desmond Bane. So acquiring a big pile of those for AD might be the best they could ever hope for.

Why Memphis does it: While the Grizzlies are off to a horrible start, there’s no indication that they plan to blow it up. So maybe they could end up going the other way and taking a risk on a player who addresses specific team needs. Jaren Jackson Jr. rebounds like a guard, and AD could support him. And Ja Morant would be paired with one of the greatest lob threats in league history, which could help him in finding some sense of stardom again.

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4. Heat: AD and DLo for Tyler Herro, Terry Rozier, and one future first

Why Dallas does it: Herro is still only 25 years old, and he could make for a great fit in the years to come with Flagg. Rozier is an expiring salary too, so it’d give the Mavericks some cap flexibility on top of solid assets.

Why Miami does it: A frontcourt led by Bam Adebayo and AD could be quite awesome defensively. And Davis could have more room to operate than he ever has in Miami’s new offensive system. The team is also excelling without Herro, so while he’d be quite a lot to give up in a trade for 32-year-old AD, DLo could replenish some of what is lost from Herro. And the deal could raise the team’s ceiling in an unexpected way.

5. Timberwolves: AD for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Mike Conley, and Rob Dillingham (a third team would be needed to help facilitate)

Why Dallas does it: Eh, maybe if the Mavs really love Dillingham or can flip Randle. But this deal isn’t all that appealing without draft capital on the table.

Why Minnesota does it: The Wolves have a 105.7 defensive rating with Gobert and a 130.2 defensive rating without Gobert. They need to find another big that can stabilize the defense, and Davis would absolutely do that. The offensive fit with AD next to Gobert could get clunky, but a loss in defensive identity is the biggest issue facing the team’s hopes of taking the next step right now.

Tier 3 Fake Trades: Maybe Don’t Trade For AD

6. Suns: AD for Jalen Green, Royce O’Neale, and Khaman Maluach

Why Dallas does it: Maluach is an extremely talented rookie center. Though the Mavs have Dereck Lively, he hasn’t exactly shown he can stay healthy. Plus Green could inject some juice in the backcourt.

Why Phoenix does it: Desperation to win now? Trading Maluach would be short-sighted. So would Green, for that matter. But Devin Booker is playing at an elite level, so there’d undeniably be a little bit of appeal in trying to push the accelerator to win more games in his prime.

7. Bulls: AD for for Nikola Vucevic, Zach Collins, Isaac Okoro, and multiple future firsts

Why Dallas does it: Vooch and Collins account for nearly $40 million in expiring contracts, and Okoro expires in one year. The Bulls also have all of their future picks, so they could put together an appealing package.

Why Chicago does it: The window feels open, and AD raises the ceiling. But trading AD probably isn’t the right player to cash in assets for when the team is still so young and not actually ready to take that next step.

8. Warriors: AD for Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Trayce Jackson-Davis, and one future first (a third team would be needed to help facilitate)

Why Dallas does it: Kuminga and Podz are flawed young players but fit the Flagg timeline, plus the Warriors have a murky future so the future pick could end up a great one.

Why Golden State does it: Davis is better than Draymond, and the front office feels compelled to do everything possible to aid Stephen Curry in pursuing another championship. But does AD really fit? Steve Kerr doesn’t like to play pick-and-roll. And Draymond brings a culture that Davis never has and never will. It would reek of desperation, if after all that time sitting on assets, that AD is the guy they cash in for.

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What about Kyrie and the others?

A market for Kyrie would not be nearly as vast as it could be for Davis. Kyrie will be 34 by the end of the season, he’s still recovering from a torn ACL, and he’s making $36 million. Not many teams even need a point guard.

The Heat and Magic stand out the most as theoretical options. Maybe instead of giving up Herro in the AD deal mentioned above, the Heat give up Rozier and some additional salary to go get Irving. The Magic make even more sense though, given the team’s need for even more shooting and even more backcourt creation. But it’s incredibly difficult to come up with a mid-season package unless it’s a 4-for-1 (Jonathan Isaac, Goga Bitadze, Tyus Jones, and Jett Howard). There are always ways to add third or fourth teams, though the more teams that get added the more complex a deal can become.

Maybe the Pistons could see Irving as a partner for Cade Cunningham since Kyrie has proven he can play Robin. Same goes for the Timberwolves with Anthony Edwards, who could use a star backcourt partner. But if there are any other teams that make any theoretical sense for Irving, the list is short.

Guys like Washington and Gafford would have a wider league-wide appeal than Irving would. It’s not like the Mavericks have bad players on the roster. The core of this team went to an NBA Finals, after all. Plenty of teams want what Dallas has. But those teams have what Dallas lost: a star that can lead a title contender.

That’s the root of this whole disaster in Dallas. And that’s precisely why axing Nico Harrison is just Act 1. Now it’s time to cue the full Mavericks reboot.