Following the Mavericks’ decision to cut ties with former GM Nico Harrison on Tuesday, it’s possible there are more seismic moves looming.
According to a report from NBA insider Marc Stein, Dallas’s front office is now considering another significant shake up to the roster. Stein reported Wednesday that the Mavericks “will work with [Anthony] Davis’s camp over the next two-plus months as they decide whether to pursue an in-season trade.”
With the dust now settled on the Luka Dončić trade, and Dallas sitting at 3–8 on the season, it’s possible the organization looks to recoup some of its losses by offloading Davis ahead of February’s trade deadline. That way, they could build a nucleus that better matches with the timeline of No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. That decision is far from set in stone, however, and Stein indicates that the front office will be in discussion with Davis and his agent, Klutch Sports’s Rich Paul, in order to determine the best course of action.
Of Davis’s stance on a potential early exit from Dallas in the wake of Harrison’s firing, Stein wrote, “There has been no suggestion in the immediate aftermath of Harrison's ouster that [Davis] would try to force his exit just because Harrison, who openly loved him and wanted to build around him, has abruptly been dismissed.”
Injuries have kept Davis sidelined for the bulk of his tenure with the Mavericks. Since last year’s blockbuster trade, he’s appeared in just 14 of 44 possible games for the team. He’s set to miss what will be his seventh straight outing Wednesday night, too. He’s played in just five games this season, posting averages of 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks.
Of course, it could be considered premature for the Mavericks to be entertaining the idea of moving on from Davis. After all, the team assembled by Harrison has yet to play even a single game together while Kyrie Irving continues his recovery from an ACL injury. But with results looking bleak to start the year, and Davis unable to stay healthy, the organization is reportedly not closed off to the idea of an in-season trade, one which, hopefully, won’t leave the fan base irate.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mavs, Anthony Davis Reportedly Mulling In-Season Trade After Nico Harrison Firing.
