Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks warms up prior to the start of the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on December 25, 2025 in San Francisco, California.
Remember when reports surfaced that the Dallas Mavericks called the Los Angeles Lakers to offer Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis, not the other way around? It turns out a similar situation may be unfolding in the Golden State Warriors’ reported pursuit of Davis.
According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Mavericks front office recently reached out to the Warriors to offer Davis in a potential deal for Jonathan Kuminga, whom they covet. However, the Warriors — who have no pathway to acquire Davis without parting with either Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler — turned them down.
“While team sources say the Warriors have not entirely closed the door on a Davis deal, it appears unlikely,” Amick reported on Dec. 31.
“What’s more, it should be noted that the Mavericks called Golden State about the Davis possibility — and not the other way around.”
Warriors Pulling the Plug?
Amick’s report highlighted that a direct swap between Butler ($54.1M) and Davis ($54.1M) is permissible under the new CBA, but the Warriors have no interest in such a deal, which may require them to part with a few of their three tradeable first-rounders.
“A Butler-for-Davis swap works financially, as the Warriors forward also makes $54.1 million this season, but Golden State has shown no interest in making such a move.”
Hypothetically, the Warriors could hold onto Butler while dealing Kuminga, Green and one of Buddy Hield or Moses Moody to the Mavericks for Davis. However, Amick noted that the Warriors are “staunchly against” the idea of dealing either Green or Butler.
“Team sources say they’re staunchly against the notion of trading either Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler, which creates quite a predicament when you’re trying to match salaries of high-level players,” wrote the veteran NBA insider.
Warriors Trade Plans Involve Athletic Bigs
Kuminga, who can’t be traded before Jan. 15, has been linked to teams such as the Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and New Orleans Pelicans as potential suitors.
The Warriors are expected to use the Kuminga trade chip to seek athletic bigs, with reports suggesting they’ve reached out to the Brooklyn Nets about Nic Claxton, the Portland Trail Blazers about Robert Williams and the Mavs about Daniel Gafford.
Davis also fits the profile of an athletic big, even at his age and with his injury history.
It makes a ton of sense for the Warriors to pursue frontcourt upgrades, given their recent struggles in the interior. Golden State ranks 17th in opponent paint points allowed (51.2), 20th in rebounding (43.6), 19th in blocked shots per game (4.5) and 29th in paint points scored (42.5).
Although Kuminga is viewed as a disgruntled asset, teams around the league covet him due to the risk-free nature of his contract. Since there’s a Team Option in his contract for the 2026-27 season, some teams are reportedly open to the idea of giving him a four-month trial run before re-evaluating his fit with he team over the offseason.
“‘It’s one of the best trade chips in the league,’” a veteran executive told insider Marc Stein of Kuminga’s contract in late November.
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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