The Dallas Mavericks have had enough, and the blowup is near after rumors had been swirling all season long. According to Shams Charania, the Mavericks are open to exploring trades for four of their star players, including superstar Anthony Davis and three key veterans who can bring star power on any given night.
The reason is clear: trading Luka Doncic last season was the biggest disaster in franchise history (which we already knew at the time), and the Mavs are hoping to retool around Cooper Flagg sooner rather than later.
So let’s dive into the four players in question because it is truly a shame to see a team that made the NBA Finals two seasons ago fall into the lottery. At 9-16, the Mavs aren’t going to make noise in a brutal Western Conference, and we don’t want to say we told you so when this team was put together terribly heading into the new campaign.
Anthony Davis
2025-26 Season Statistics: 19.6 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.6 BPG, 52.3% FG, 33.3% 3-PT FG, 69.0% FT
Starting off, Anthony Davis’ time in Dallas feels like it’s winding down, and everyone can sense it. The numbers tell part of the story; he’s putting up some of the weakest offensive production of his career (19.6 PPG on 52.3% FG and 33.3% 3-PT FG), and his availability issues have once again become a season-long subplot. With only 10 games played and the lowest-scoring mark of his career since his rookie season, Davis needs a change of atmosphere.
Simply put: the Mavs simply aren’t built around his rhythm anymore, and his presence doesn’t line up with where the franchise is heading. When Davis is locked in, he can still take over both ends of the floor like few players alive, but Dallas doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for those stretches.
That’s why conversations around Boston and Golden State have already surfaced. The Celtics could use a defensive anchor while waiting for Tatum’s return next season, and the Warriors are desperate for one more star to squeeze the most out of Stephen Curry’s window. Whatever it is, it’s clear that Davis no longer fits the Mavericks’ future alongside Cooper Flagg.
Klay Thompson
2025-26 Season Statistics: 11.0 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 36.6% FG, 35.4% 3-PT FG, 80.0% FT
Of course, Klay Thompson’s decline has been hard to ignore. He still has the reputation, but the consistency just isn’t there anymore. His legs aren’t the same, his defense has taken a step back, and the aura that once made him the league’s most feared No. 2 option has faded. And let’s be honest: Klay has been leaning into his off-court life a bit more than before, especially since going public with Megan Thee Stallion.
A trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, the scenario we’ve floated before, almost makes too much sense. The market fits his lifestyle, the roster could use his shooting without overburdening him, and he’d step into a role that plays to his strengths instead of exposing what he’s lost. We still believe Klay can play a vital role on a championship contender, he just won’t make it work with Dallas right now.
Daniel Gafford
2025-26 Season Statistics: 8.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 61.0% FG, 0.00% 3-PT FG, 79.1% FT
Similarly, Daniel Gafford is better off in a big market. Dallas once saw him thriving next to Luka Doncic before the franchise detonated that plan, and now he feels stuck in a system that doesn’t highlight what he does best. We’ve already explored the possibility of him landing with the Lakers in the Klay Thompson deal, but the Knicks arguably make even more sense.
Mitchell Robinson’s injuries have forced New York to think long-term at center, and Gafford brings nearly all of Robinson’s strengths with far fewer durability concerns. Gafford has proven to be a starting-caliber center in the NBA, and the right fit for him is outside of Texas as a whole.
D’Angelo Russell
2025-26 Season Statistics: 11.2 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 4.3 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 40.3% FG, 28.7% 3-PT FG, 70.7% FT
D’Angelo Russell is one of the most unpredictable players in the league, for better or worse. When he’s rolling, he can run an offense with real creativity and give a bench unit instant numbers. When he’s off, he can disappear for long stretches and struggle on the defensive end. At this point in his career, that’s just who he is.
He might not be the man for the Mavs, but we’ve outlined four teams already that could use exactly that kind of skill set. The return won’t be massive, but it’ll be something. For a team that needs a complete overhaul, trading Russell has to be the final step to a massive blowup that has been coming for weeks, if not months.
The Time To Act Is Now
Given everything surrounding the franchise, none of these reports should shock anyone. Dallas backed itself into a corner after the Luka Doncic trade, and now they have no choice but to move quickly before the value of these players dips any further. Anthony Davis still commands a strong market, Klay Thompson and D’Angelo Russell each have situational value for contenders, and Daniel Gafford is exactly the type of plug-and-play big teams constantly seek.
If the Mavericks truly want to build the next era around Cooper Flagg, this is the moment to act – and the league knows it. The phones are already buzzing, and the Mavs don’t have the luxury of dragging this out. Stay tuned, because the trades might come faster than any of us could expect.
