Mavericks Urged To Hold Anthony Davis Through Trade Deadline

Merlin sees league whispers urging Dallas to wait on Anthony Davis. The hand injury no longer requires surgery and he is expected to miss about six weeks, so multiple executives told ESPN and HoopsHype they expect the Mavericks to keep AD past the Feb. 5 trade deadline and revisit a move in the summer. One executive said, "This should allow them to sit back and be patient and see what happens." Merlin notes Davis has played just 20 games but remains a force when healthy, averaging 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds. Teams like Atlanta and Toronto are linked, and holding him could spark a late playoff bidding war or produce richer offers in the offseason, unless Dallas decides it "essentially want[s] to salary dump him."