Getty Anthony Davis and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers. Davis has been linked to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Dallas Mavericks‘ addition of Kyrie Irving has made many reassess where they sit amongst Western Conference contenders. Some believe they’re right at the top, while others still feel that they’ve got work to do before being ready to compete with the best in the West.
Collin Cowherd, of Volume Sports and Fox Sports, doesn’t believe that Dallas is done adding talent to the roster.
Cowherd has hinted at the Mavs looking to add Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis, on multiple occasions.
On the February 15 edition of The Collin Cowherd Podcast he reported that he’s been told that Dallas will “make a run” at Davis this summer.
“I had a scout I trust say the body language by AD (when LeBron James broke the scoring record) wasn’t a coincidence… I had a scout tell me last week that Dallas is going to make a run at him. Anthony Davis believes that he’s lost the trust of LeBron,” he said.
Cowherd went on to explain that the Mavs feel Davis will give them a much needed defensive boost.
“The source told me that Dallas will make a run at him because Kyrie and Luka have huge defensive deficiencies and they don’t trust Christian Wood,” Cowherd added.
Cowherd again reported Dallas’ interest in the former No. 1 overall pick on a recent appearance on Fox Sports Radio.
“I talked to an NBA source who I’ve known for a long time, he said the Dallas Mavericks and Anthony Davis, keep your eye on it…Anthony Davis is pouting, LeBron’s holding him accountable, LeBron’s not happy with him,” he explained.
🔊@ColinCowherd: “LeBron and his camp have been frustrated by how many minutes he has to play. They cant depend on Anthony Davis. They are also mad that Darvin Ham is not keeping the pressure on Anthony Davis.”
Mavericks Predicted to Make ‘Superstar Stacking’ Trade in Summer
Davis is under contract with the Lakers through the end of next season, at the very least. He has a player option, which would allow him to opt out of the deal become a free agent in 2024. But, if Davis elects to accept the option, then he wouldn’t become a free agent until 2025.
With all of that being said, the Mavericks would have to acquire Davis via trade, rather than signing him as a free agent.
Back on February 14, Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer predicted that the franchise would be looking to add a third star to the roster this summer. He highlighted different assets that the front office would be able to offer to other teams in a potential blockbuster deal.
“Using a 2029 unprotected first-round pick to land Irving will allow Dallas to move both their 2025 and 2027 first-round picks this summer, after the Mavericks’ 2023 selection finally conveys to New York as part of the 2019 Kristaps Porzingis deal,” Fischer wrote. “If Irving and Doncic manage to form the partnership Doncic and Porzingis never could fully cement, then perhaps the Mavericks will even take those picks and go shopping for an additional co-star for Doncic and Irving. Why stop at two alphas when you can chase a third? That has been the going order of operations for teams in the superstar-stacking business.”
Kyrie Irving Avoids Talks of Future With Mavericks
If Dallas truly does want to add a third star to the roster in the offseason, they’ll first have to lock down their newest star, Irving. The 30-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, allowing him to sign with any team he’d like.
He recently stressed to the media that he doesn’t want to talk about his future with the team past the current season.
“I would love to just have the respect of you guys and everybody the rest of the season of just continuously asking me that, because it just puts unwarranted distractions on us and our team,” he told reporters on February 13 before the Mavericks’ 124-121 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. “I’ve dealt with it before and it’s very emotionally draining to ask questions like ‘What’s the long term? What’s the long term?’”
Irving, who is on his fourth team in 12 NBA seasons, has a history of being a flight risk. He requested a trade from the team that drafted him, the Cleveland Cavaliers, then he walked away from the Boston Celtics, and, most recently, he requested a trade from the Brooklyn Nets.