Just a season after being traded, Anthony Davis might be on the move again. Last season, Davis was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks in the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade. Now, with Dallas struggling to gain any momentum this season, there are rumors floating that the star forward/center might be traded. One of the popular rumored destinations for Anthony Davis is the Toronto Raptors, as ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel reported yesterday.
“Although it is known that Toronto would like to move below the tax line this season, this team is also continuing to see what big moves could potentially be available to them, including stars like Anthony Davis and Domantas Sabonis at the top of the list,” Siegel reported.
The Raptors have a history of swinging hard during the trade deadline. It's no surprise, then, that the Raptors are in the mix for an Anthony Davis trade (along with other names, like Domantas Sabonis). However, there's a few things holding up the potential trade. The Mavericks and the Raptors aren't quite aligned on what they want to get in the hypothetical trade.
“The Raptors (22-15; fourth in the East) are expected to look for help at center and could engage the Mavericks on Davis as Feb. 5 draws nearer, league sources say,” Christian Clark and Sam Amick wrote for The Athletic. “Any deal with Toronto would require Dallas to take back long-term contracts. The Mavericks, league sources say, would very likely require significant draft capital coming their way to make a deal of that nature.”
While the Raptors have played incredibly well this season, Toronto could use a center to round out their roster. Jakob Poeltl has missed significant time in the last few seasons, to the point that Davis (who's known to be injury-prone) has played more games than him. Having Davis, who's a bona fide stellar rim protector, would be a major boost to an already solid defense.
The trade would certainly be a risk for the Raptors, especially with the Mavericks' demands for draft capital in return. That being said, Toronto has a penchant for making risky trades that work out. We'll see if the team decides to roll the dice on AD's health.
