In a stunning turn of events that has sent shockwaves through the NBA landscape, the Golden State Warriors have received devastating news regarding their pursuit of Anthony Davis, the $175 million star and 2020 NBA champion. As the February 5 trade deadline looms, sources indicate that the Warriors’ pathway to acquiring the dominant big man has all but evaporated, leaving fans and analysts reeling from the implications for the franchise’s future.
The bombshell comes amid reports that Davis, currently with the Dallas Mavericks, has expressed a strong preference to remain in Texas and sign a lucrative extension this summer. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon dropped the revelation on “NBA Today,” stating unequivocally, “AD’s preference would be to stay in Dallas and to get that extension this summer.” This sentiment aligns with Davis’s desire for stability, especially considering his history of durability concerns and the high-stakes nature of his contract, which has two years and over $130 million remaining.
However, MacMahon’s insights didn’t stop there. He highlighted the Mavericks’ internal dilemma: while Davis wants to stay, Dallas is actively shopping him as they pivot toward building around teenage sensation Cooper Flagg, the highly touted prodigy expected to anchor their rebuild. “Now, does that make sense for a team trying to build around a teenage prodigy? You can answer that question on your own,” MacMahon quipped, underscoring the mismatch between Davis’s veteran timeline and the Mavericks’ youth movement.
Despite Dallas’s efforts to generate trade interest, executing a deal mid-season appears increasingly improbable. “The Mavericks are trying to generate a good trade market for Anthony Davis,” MacMahon explained. “That is difficult because of the durability issues, and I think more so the dollars. In a situation like this, Rich Paul [AD’s agent] is going to be involved.” Paul, known for his shrewd negotiations, is likely to prioritize destinations where Davis can secure a long-term, high-value extension—complicating any potential mid-season blockbuster.
This update echoes recent reporting from The Athletic, where insiders like Sam Amick and Josh Robbins painted a similarly grim picture for suitors like the Warriors. Amick predicted on January 5 that Davis would “be staying put,” citing the inherent complexities of midseason trades during Dallas’s organizational transition. Robbins added that any deal involving Davis might necessitate a multi-team arrangement, noting, “A large multi-team deal could be so complicated that it would be easier to accomplish during the offseason.”
For the Warriors, this development couldn’t come at a worse time. Golden State has been aggressively scouring the market for frontcourt reinforcements to bolster their championship aspirations. Names like Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton, Portland’s Robert Williams III, and even Dallas’s Daniel Gafford have surfaced as alternatives, but Davis represented the crown jewel—a proven winner with elite two-way skills who could seamlessly complement Stephen Curry’s twilight years.
Yet, the Warriors find themselves in a self-imposed bind. According to The Athletic, their reluctance to part with key veterans Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler III has stymied negotiations. “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,” Amick reported on December 31. Instead, Golden State has dangled younger talents like Jonathan Kuminga ($22.5M), Moses Moody ($11.5M), Buddy Hield ($9.2M), and Brandin Podziemski ($3.6M), along with up to three first-round picks. But without including Green or Butler, trade partners have shown limited enthusiasm, leaving the Warriors’ offers falling short.
This “predicament,” as Amick termed it, may force Golden State to confront a harsh reality: their current roster might be locked in for the remainder of the season. “The Warriors might have to accept the fact that this current group—by and large—is going to be it,” he warned. With the team hovering around playoff contention in a stacked Western Conference, missing out on a transformative talent like Davis could jeopardize their postseason prospects and signal the end of an era.
As the trade deadline approaches, all eyes will be on Dallas and Golden State. Will the Mavericks find a creative way to move Davis mid-season, or will his preference to extend in the summer prevail? For Warriors fans, the bad news is clear: the dream of pairing Anthony Davis with their core has taken a massive hit, potentially reshaping the franchise’s trajectory in 2026 and beyond. Stay tuned as this saga unfolds—NBA drama at its finest.