🚨 Could Anthony Davis Really End Up in Chicago? The Trade Everyone’s Whispering About….P1

The Dallas Mavericks are off to a terrible start to the 2025-26 campaign. With former top basketball executive Nico Harrison fired, Kyrie Irving (knee) out for several months, and an intriguing 2026 draft class, it may be time for the franchise to embrace the tank for a year and bottom out entirely.

Our first installment in a series attempting to fix the Mavericks swapped out Anthony Davis for a slightly younger All-Star big in an effort to stay competitive.

This entry suggests moving Davis for draft considerations and financial relief, with Dallas accepting a gap year and enough losses to compete for a top lottery pick in June’s draft.

By roping in Davis’ hometown Chicago Bulls and the always-reliable Brooklyn Nets (the only team in the league with ample cap room), the following is a three-team trade idea to give the Mavericks a needed reset.

Mavericks get:

Bulls get:

Nets get:

The trade would need to wait until December 15, when Tre Jones becomes trade-eligible.

The Mavericks and Bulls finish below the luxury tax; the Nets are still under the salary cap. The Bulls aggregate Collins, Huerter and Carter for Davis. Chicago acquires Martin for Terry and Wilson via the preexisting Zach LaVine trade exception, and Exum via the minimum exception, generating a trade exception for Jones’ full salary.

The Mavericks take in Collins and Huerter for Davis; the remainder is the $18.1 million trade exception. Dallas triggers a first-apron hard cap by using the preexisting Maxi Kleber trade exception on Jones, receiving new trade exceptions for Martin and Exum.

The Nets use cap room to absorb Terry and Carter, first cutting Tyrese Martin to create a roster spot.

While Dallas has its 2026 first-round pick, the Charlotte Hornets have the Mavericks’ 2027 selection (top-2 protected). With slim odds of keeping that selection, the Mavericks have no incentive for a longer-term rebuild. The franchise can let Kyrie Irving (knee) come back slowly, with a complete focus on a strong 2026-27 return.

Some of the top potential picks in June include Darryn Peterson from Kansas, AJ Dybantsa from BYU, Nate Ament from Tennessee and Cameron Boozer from Duke. Dallas could add a top prospect to Cooper Flagg, setting the foundation for a long, successful run. Instead of banking on the lottery luck it took to land Flagg, the Mavericks increase their odds substantially by embracing a down year.

Jones is only 25, fits a position of need at point guard, and is under contract for the next two seasons at $8 million flat (the final year is a team option). Dallas could aim “higher” with the scoring of White, but he’s heading into unrestricted free agency with designs on a contract starting in the $30 million range (at least). Similarly, Dosunmu will be an unrestricted free agent. Jones, on his team-friendly contract, has averaged 13.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.1 steals for the Bulls through 11 appearances.

Both Collins and Huerter are solid NBA players on expiring contracts. The Mavericks have time to evaluate if they fit the puzzle for next year’s return to a higher level of competition, or send them out in trade before the deadline if there’s a market. Dallas projects to be near (or over) next season’s second apron, but getting off of Davis’ $58.5 million and Martin’s $10 million for next season would drop payroll comfortably below the luxury tax line.

Along with its own first, Dallas may have two additional picks from the Bulls and Blazers. The trade exceptions add flexibility as the Mavericks look to quickly restart their quest for a playoff berth in 2026-27.

The Bulls started the season hot, but have fallen flat in recent games. Injuries have played a part, notably with Coby White (calf) missing the team’s first 11 games. Chicago has playoff hopes this year, especially with typical powerhouse teams like the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics dealing with injuries to Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum, respectively.

Landing an elite two-way big like Davis would help push the Bulls into a higher tier in the Eastern Conference, provided he’s healthy. The goal would be to add Davis without subtracting key rotation players like Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, Nikola Vučević, Ayo Dosunmu and White. While Jones has been superb for Chicago, he’d be the necessary sacrifice, along with Collins and Huerter.

While Dallas or Brooklyn might want players like White, Dosunmu or rookie Noa Essengue, Chicago would try to hold the line in negotiations. The first-round picks given in the deal, including one from the Portland Trail Blazers, wouldn’t tie up the Bulls’ long-term draft capital—Chicago would expect a playoff berth and for the 2026 selection to convey.

Historically, the Bulls don’t pay luxury taxes, staying below the line while adding on three additional viable players in Martin, Exum, and Wilson. Before Davis and Martin’s multi-year deals, Chicago projects to have significant cap room next summer. Instead, the team focuses on retaining White, Dosunmu and possibly Vučević, if he and Davis prove a positive fit.

The rebuilding Nets understood the assignment, fielding a roster with two wins in its first 13 tries to star the 2025-26 season.

This summer, Brooklyn used cap room to help other teams dodge the tax and shed unwanted contracts like Michael Porter Jr., Terance Mann, Haywood Highsmith and Kobe Bufkin—in return, profiting in draft considerations and/or prospects.

The Nets still have about $15.3 million in cap room to continue that strategy. Here, the franchise gets a free look at Terry (No. 18 in 2022), who can be made a restricted free agent this summer. The team also gets the rights to French prospect Ajinça, a late second-rounder in 2024, plus a pair of seconds from Chicago.

To make roster space for Terry and Carter, the Nets need to include Wilson and cut Martin, finishing with at least $5.3 million in remaining cap room (depending on the timing of the trade with Martin earning daily on his non-guaranteed $2.2 million salary).