Report: Pistons, Raptors, Hawks Will "Emerge As Suitors" For Anthony Davis

Despite Mark Cuban’s announcement that the Dallas Mavericks won’t be trading Anthony Davis, the 10-time All-Star continues to figure in trade speculation to this day. Now, a new report has emerged about three possible landing spots for AD this season.

Appearing on Tuesday’s edition of “NBA Today,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said that Davis could be headed to the Eastern Conference, as there are three ball clubs there keenly eyeing his services.

“Three Eastern Conference teams that, I’m told, will emerge as suitors for Anthony Davis are the Pistons, Raptors, and Hawks,” Charania shared. “You’re looking at packages around role players, picks, and potentially expiring contracts.”

Charania added that, since being drafted by the New Orleans Pelicans in 2012, Davis has spent his entire NBA career in the Western Conference. “Clearly, there’s a group of Eastern Conference contenders viewing him as a game-changer to reshape the East,” he commented.

All three teams mentioned by Charania are above .500 at the moment, and any of them could solidify their playoff position if they were to get Davis.

Currently reigning at the top of the Eastern Conference standings are the Detroit Pistons, who have a 19–5 record. Given the stellar play of Jalen Duren on both ends of the floor, it’s possible that the Pistons will opt to keep him for the long term and offer other assets in their pursuit of Davis. A core trio of Duren, Davis, and Cade Cunningham would help Detroit create even more distance from the likes of the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics.

Both the Toronto Raptors and the Atlanta Hawks are situated in a logjam in the middle of the standings, and as such, getting Davis could go a long way in helping them get to a different tier. If Davis heads up North, he’ll get the chance to play alongside Raptors main man Scottie Barnes; if his destination is Atlanta, he will likely partner with rising star Jalen Johnson.

Though Davis is infamously injury-prone, his immense talent is still viewed as a precious commodity in the league. Expect Detroit, Toronto, and Atlanta to put together enticing packages in order to pull off a blockbuster deal.