The Dallas Mavericks' Anthony Davis era could be coming to an end soon, but that doesn't mean it should start for the Charlotte Hornets. The Hive has been brought up as a possible destination for Davis, with Sam Vecenie of the Game Theory Podcast proposing a package of Miles Bridges, Collin Sexton, Pat Connaughton, and draft capital. Although the idea of adding a star of his caliber looks good on paper, it will only set the franchise back for years.
Davis's future in Dallas remains murky after former general manager Nico Harrison's exit from the organization earlier this month. Rumor has it that the 10-time All-Star is already on the trading block, with the current management's roster-building direction reportedly now revolving around Cooper Flagg.
As great as Davis was during his prime, Harrison's decision to trade for him, along with just one first-round pick, in exchange for Luka Doncic was universally seen as an ill-advised move, to put it lightly. Charlotte cannot feel all that bad for the Mavs, though, because it owns their top-two protected 2027 first-round draft pick.
Now, it looks like Dallas is trying to undo Harrison's mistake, and the Hornets know better than to fall into that trap themselves.
Another injury-prone cornerstone would be too much for Hornets
In some ways, Davis would be perfect in Charlotte. He fills a massive hole on the roster, and a starting five consisting of him, LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and Ryan Kalkbrenner, with a bench unit that includes Tre Mann, Sion James, Liam McNeeley, Grant Williams, and Moussa Diabate, definitely looks like a playoff squad.
However, the Hornets are already looking for assurance that Ball and Miller can stay off the injury report for consecutive weeks, or even months. Adding Davis into the mix would have the organization and its fans constantly agonizing over the possibility of missing any or all of its three best players night in and night out.
The best Charlotte can do now is look for a different way to capitalize on its trade assets. Bridges remains one of its most valuable trade pieces, as there are contenders who could realize their need for a veteran scorer off the bench with a team-friendly contract. Meanwhile, Sexton and Connaughton have expiring contracts that clubs planning to open up cap space next summer to pursue big-ticket free agents could look into acquiring.
It's also plausible that the Hornets hold onto each of them throughout the 2025-26 campaign, and that wouldn't be a problem, as long as the players aren't utilized to bring in an injury-prone star like Davis.