Anthony Davis trade rumors: Three East teams emerge as suitors; what could possible deals look like?

The Mavericks are weighing their options with All-Star forward Anthony Davis

The trade landscape for Dallas Mavericks All-Star forward Anthony Davis is starting to take shape. Since the Mavericks fired embattled general manager Nico Harrison in November, all eyes turned to Davis, as the immediate thought after Harrison's departure was that he would be traded. With Harrison -- who brought in Davis in the controversial Luka Doncic trade -- pushed out and Dallas in no position to contend right now, it makes sense for the two sides to part ways.

Davis has said all the right things since Harrison's firing, placing the focus on the Mavericks and trying to win right now. Since returning from a calf strain that sidelined him for a month, he's been efficient and made a significant impact on Dallas' offense. Having Davis back has been a positive for the Mavericks from an on-court perspective, and he's also doing his part in rebuilding his trade value, too.

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While trading Davis seems like the smartest path forward for the Mavericks, there is a scenario in which he could remain in Dallas. Davis' agent, Rich Paul, has met with Dallas' front office and asked for clarity on if they plan to trade Davis or sign him to an extension, according to ESPN. Interim co-general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi have reportedly not ruled out the possibility of keeping Davis and signing him to an extension next summer, as they want to keep their options open.

There are plenty of reasons to question the merit of an extension, so let's assume Dallas is going down the path toward trading Davis. There's three teams with reported interest in the NBA champion: the Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors, per ESPN. Those teams view Davis as someone who can push them over the edge to seriously contend in a weak Eastern Conference.

Now that we've got a few reported teams interested in Davis, let's take a look at how a trade for each of them could possibly shake out.

What could a Hawks trade look like?

Atlanta sits at 14-11 and has fared surprisingly well without Trae Young, who has been out with a knee injury. While there were rumors of Young being on the trading block, ESPN reports that the Hawks think his return could elevate this young core. So swapping Young for Davis is probably off the table. A trade here probably starts with Kristaps Porzingis returning to Dallas, because if the Hawks are getting Davis, they don't need Porzingis in the frontcourt -- especially with the emergence of young, rising center Onyeka Okongwu.

If you add in someone like Nickeil Alexander-Walker to the deal, and some draft compensation to Dallas, that trade would work. But it all hinges on Atlanta's willingness to give up Alexander-Walker, who they plucked from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the offseason and is averaging a career-high 20.7 points a game. He's part of a backcourt with Dyson Daniels that has led the charge in Atlanta's 10th-ranked defense, and trading him could weaken the Hawks on the perimeter.

There's certainly other avenues for the Hawks to get Davis, but all of them require giving up someone who has significantly helped them this season. So the real question is whether Davis is worth breaking up a roster that has performed well for a chance at making a run in the playoffs?

What could a Pistons trade look like?

The Pistons are another team, like the Hawks, that will have to figure out if Davis is worth shaking up a roster that has outperformed expectations this season. At 19-5, the Pistons are sitting in first place in the East and could very well stick with the group of guys they have right now and see how they perform in the postseason before making any splashy moves. But patience is scarce in a league that can change overnight by one massive trade or the injury of a player. Just look at the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics, who saw stars Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum, respectively, go down with Achilles injuries during the playoffs.

Unlike the Hawks, though, the Pistons could get a deal done for Davis without sacrificing any of their high-end talent. A package including Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart and Marcus Sasser would work from a financial perspective. Add in a first-round pick, and it would be a home run deal for Detroit. It clears some of the logjam in the backcourt, as Sasser has fallen far out of the rotation. Davis is an upgrade over Harris, and Stewart, as fiery as he is, is expendable when his highlights revolve around his on-court altercations more than his actual production.

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In the short term, this could be an ideal move for the Pistons. Davis would have Jalen Duren alongside him so he doesn't have to play center. You're also pairing him with an All-Star guard in Cade Cunningham who is capable of getting him the ball in the right spots. The defensive attention Cunningham commands would make things easy for Davis, and his presence would also allow for better looks for everyone else on Detroit's roster.

It sounds like a perfect pairing, but the issue becomes about the long-term outlook as Davis is eligible for an extension next summer. Does Detroit want to handcuff itself to a 32-year-old with major injury concerns? If they trade for Davis, it could take them out of the running for the next big star that hits the market and could handicap their ability to spend over the next few years.

What could a Raptors trade look like?

The Raptors (15-10) are fourth in the East, and are one of several teams that could talk themselves into Davis being the key to a run in the playoffs. Toronto certainly has several bloated contracts to send back to the Mavericks to match salary, but would Dallas be pleased with the returns here? You could start with Immanuel Quickley or RJ Barrett and add Jakob Poeltl and draft compensation to get a deal done. It would need some more finessing for the salary to match, but there's certainly a framework of a trade here.

Another question mark here comes from Davis' fit on the Raptors. Toronto could certainly field a massive lineup with Davis, Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram, but the spacing would not make much sense. Ingram and Davis both live in the mid-range. And while Barnes' 3-point shooting is the best it's ever been, he's still the most dangerous when he's getting downhill into the paint and in the mid-range. That seems like an awfully crowded court with little spacing to allow for any of those three to thrive.

And then there's the financial component. Adding Davis' salary to an already expensive roster doesn't feel like the move the Raptors should be making right now. No one expected them to be fourth in the East, but that doesn't mean they should buy into what could be fool's gold and take a swing on a big star.

Any team that is considering trading for Davis will have to weigh his age, injury risk and salary. When he's healthy, Davis is a top 25 player in the league. But as we get closer to the trade deadline in February, teams will be asking themselves if he's worth the red flags.