On Tuesday, the Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison. He's better known as the person who willingly traded away Luka Doncic, one of the game's best and youngest talents. At only 26 years old, he's got five All-NBA First Team selections and an NBA Finals appearance. The entire NBA world was in disbelief, and Dallas fans pressured the franchise to a breaking point with their former GM. With his departure and the slow start the Mavericks have begun the 2025-26 season with, many are wondering if they'll engage in a fire sale of aging assets to build around their most recent first overall draft selection, Cooper Flagg. The Chicago Bulls are one of the most commonly mentioned teams when seeking a suitor for the established All-Star talents.
Anthony Davis Homecoming
Born in Chicago, Illinois, superstar big man Anthony Davis has always hinted at playing for his hometown team. He's mentioned that the Windy City is the "mecca of basketball," and has raved about the history and pride within the city. This might present the most likely scenario for finally wearing a Chicago Bulls uniform. What would it cost the Bulls? More than they're willing to part ways with.
The Bulls are a team to monitor for a potential Anthony Davis trade pursuit.
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) November 12, 2025
Chicago possesses nearly $90 million in expiring contracts, plus all of their picks.
A deal built around Coby White, Nikola Vucevic and picks for Davis seems realistic for both the Mavericks and Bulls. pic.twitter.com/qjSBYC4c7W
In his 14 seasons at the NBA level, Davis has missed 250 career games. His injury-prone nature has been his most glaring weakness. He is undoubtedly a superstar when he's between the lines, but he has missed roughly 24% of his possible outings across his career, which deters any future trade partners.
Josh Giddey And Anthony Davis Duo
This move would be a significant bet on the Josh Giddey and Anthony Davis duo. This season, Giddey's ability to finish inside and push the pace in transition has complemented Nikola Vucevic's stretch-five archetype and pick-and-roll game well. Davis is more frequently working from the post and would change this dynamic. This deal would be too costly for the Bulls to gamble on. Losing their most promising offensive player, Coby White, and any future draft picks would ultimately mean Giddey and Davis need to catapult this team to instant contention to win the trade. Another additive is the cap situation. Davis is inked to a contract through the 2027-28 season, making an average of $58 million annually. This price is far too steep for the Bulls to absorb willingly, given his age and injury history.
Anthony Davis trade idea per @ZachLowe_NBA:
— Die-Hard Chicago Bulls Fans (@DieHardCBfans) November 12, 2025
Bulls Receive: Anthony Davis
Mavs Receive: Coby White, Nikola Vucevic, Portland 1st round pick, Bulls 1st round pick.
“This would almost be like a free agency signing”
Core: Giddey/Ayo/Okoro/Matas/AD pic.twitter.com/iIbW9LpduX
All the trade chatter will continue to surround Chicago with its young core, draft assets, and ample cap space following this season. This deal in particular will not happen. Arturas Karnisovas has shown no signs that he would execute a trade of this nature. The team has started the year much better than anticipated, and he has learned many lessons the hard way, including trading away youthful assets or draft capital for aging stars.
