Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving trades considered ‘optimal’ approach

After that The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nick Harrisonthere was speculation about what the team would do with the stars Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. As it is trade rumors swirl around key Mavericks pieces like Davis and Irving, the latest reports suggest how it will be viewed within the franchise.

In the latest column from ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, they question what the future looks like for both Davis and Irving, especially with the team going through a rough start to the season. With the trade deadline in February, there’s no denying the Dallas stars will be scattered in conversations, and Bontemps wrote that from the NBA people he spoke with, dealing Davis or both players is the “optimal strategy”.

“From the sources I spoke with, the belief is that the Mavs moving on Davis, if not both stars, was the optimal strategy,” Bontemps wrote. “Those moves would help maximize a 2026 first-round pick in a loaded 2026 draft class — the only selection Dallas controls the rest of this decade — to reposition the franchise around Cooper Flagg, the 2025 No. 1 pick.”

What the consensus says is “the right strategy” for the Mavericks

Doc rumors surrounding the Mavericks will continue for some time, it seems the likely trajectory for the team to rebuild around rookie star Cooper Flagg. Even an unnamed Eastern Conference executive said he would answer Bontemps with “absolutely” when asked if trading Davis for Irving was the right move.

Brian Windhorst would continue to question the value of Davis, due to his age and constant risk of missing time, the insider would reinforce the idea that trading the big man was the consensus “sound strategy.”

“Honestly, conversations with league executives this week surprisingly haven’t focused on whether the Mavericks should trade Davis — the consensus seems to be that it’s probably the right strategy despite it being another painful development to sell to the fan base,” Windhorst wrote.

Either way, Dallas is currently 3-9 as the team faces the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night.