Three-Team NBA Mock Trade Gifts Victor Wembanyama's Spurs Anthony Davis, Cooper Flagg Gets New $196M Co-Star

The Dallas Mavericks fan base's frustrations have continued to mount with Anthony Davis. Their initial angst was about him replacing fan-favorite and franchise centerpiece Luka Doncic. General Manager Nico Harrison claimed he coveted Davis and hinted at reasons like "defense" for his stance on proposing the trade to LA.

Davis had an electrifying debut for the Mavericks in February, but it only lasted three quarters. Their worst nightmares came true after he aggravated an abdominal injury, adding to the narrative around him being injury-prone.

This season, the majority of the Mavericks fans have blamed him for the team's shortcomings, despite rostering No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and a decent supporting cast. They believe Anthony Davis' reluctance to play at center has compromised Flagg's impact, who is averaging 13.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists in five games, playing the point guard position.

The situation worsened for Davis on Wednesday after he left the game against the Indiana Pacers with a lower leg injury in the first quarter. Fans instantly amplified the sentiment on trading away the 10-time NBA All-Star as concerns grew over his ability to lead them to a title.

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

When healthy and surrounded by players who can mesh with him, Anthony Davis has the potential to be a top-seven player in the league at worst. This season, averaged a team-best 25.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks in four games before Wednesday's contest.

The Mavericks can still receive decent value due to this factor and it could lead them to the forefront of the Lauri Markkanen sweepstakes at the trade deadline.

---

3-Team NBA Mock Trade Proposal Sends Anthony Davis to Spurs, Lauri Markkanen joins Mavericks

According to reports, the rebuilding Utah Jazz could be among the sellers, who could tip things off by shipping Lauri Markkanen. The Jazz are unlikely to take back Anthony Davis in a potential trade.

The Dallas Mavericks don't have enough assets outside him to satisfy the Jazz in Lauri Markkanen, either. Nevertheless, they can lure the San Antonio Spurs into these negotiations as the third team.

Here's the proposed trade:

Mavericks receive

• Lauri Markkanen
• Kyle Anderson

Spurs receive

• Anthony Davis

Jazz receive

• Devin Vassell
• Keldon Johnson
• 2027 first-round pick (via ATL from Spurs)
• 2029 first-round pick (via LAL from Mavericks)
• 2030 second-round pick (via 76ers from Mavericks)
• 2032 second-round pick (via Mavericks)

The Mavericks take a marginal $1.4 million cap hit. Markkanen is in the first year of his $195.6 million contract, while Anderson is making $9.2 million.

Davis adds $9.6 million to the Spurs' payroll, while the Jazz shave off $11.1 million off their books by replacing Markkanen and Anderson with Vassell and Johnson.

---

Why the Mavericks do it

The Mavericks land a 3-point sniper while maintaining their size on the wings with Lauri Markkanen. The 7-foot-1 European star is a career 37.2% 3-point shooter and is 40.0% this season on a career-high 10.0 attempts. It's ideal from a spacing perspective around Cooper Flagg, P.J. Washington and the bigs: Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.

The 28-year-old, under contract for four years, could acccelerate and sustain the Mavericks' playoff window with Flagg.

Meanwhile, Kyle Anderson provides them with some playmaking and defense off the bench from the wings. He's a solid plug-and-play role player who can mesh well within Jason Kidd's system and aid some of their offensive issues.

Why the Spurs do it

The Spurs are off to a 5-0 start with Victor Wembanyama making a legitimate argument to win the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year award. However, it's one thing to be great in the regular season and another in the playoffs.

The Spurs will need some playoff and championship experience from a contributor who can be the best player on the court on his day. Anthony Davis is the perfect piece in that regard.

Wembanyama's shooting ability shuts down spacing concerns. Defensively, it could be the best backcourt since the Spurs' "twin-tower" era with Tim Duncan and Duncan Robinson. Davis' presence can help Wembanyama manage his workload in the post and the toll his body takes as the sole big man in the frontcourt.

With Davis' prize unlikely to be sky-high at the moment, San Antonio doesn't lose much here if they are trading a 2027 first-round pick via Atlanta, Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson, and retaining Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and D'Aaron Fox.

Why the Jazz do it

The Jazz get younger with 25-year-old Devin Vassell and 26-year-old Keldon Johnson, who aren't altering their prospects of tanking. Securing two firsts and two seconds in a trade is the bonus in this trade, as other suitors may not match that prize.

They can flip Vassell and Johnson for more draft capital if needed, as they are on decent contracts and can contribute on contending teams.

Edited by Arhaan Raje