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Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors speaks with Stephen Curry #30 against the Denver Nuggets.
The Golden State Warriors want Anthony Davis.
What they don’t have — at least for now — is a package that moves the Dallas Mavericks.
According to NBA insider Chris Haynes, Golden State has explored the idea of pursuing Davis as part of a broader effort to find a rim-running, paint-protecting center to anchor its defense. But Haynes reported that Dallas has little interest in what the Warriors currently have to offer.
“I was told they’re contemplating making a case to acquire Anthony Davis,” Haynes said on NBA on Amazon Prime. “And with that being said, I was told that Dallas was not that fascinated with what Golden State has on its books.”
That blunt assessment underscores the central tension of Golden State’s latest swing at relevance: the desire to make a championship-altering move colliding with the reality of limited assets, complicated contracts and a shrinking window around Stephen Curry’s prime.
Why the Warriors Want Anthony Davis
GettyAnthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks gets fouled on his shot by Trayce Jackson-Davis of the Golden State Warriors.
The Warriors’ interest in Davis reflects a specific and increasingly urgent need.
They are searching for a center who can protect the rim, finish plays above the rim and anchor their defense — a role that has gone largely unfilled since their championship core began aging out of its physical peak.
Davis fits that mold almost perfectly when healthy.
But “when healthy” is the operative phrase.
Since arriving in Dallas as part of the Luka Dončić trade last February, Davis has played in just 25 of the Mavericks’ 65 games. He remains one of the league’s most impactful two-way bigs, but also one of its most fragile.
Still, Golden State sees Davis as a potential difference-maker — the type of elite defender who could stabilize a leaky defense and give Curry and Draymond Green one last credible push.
The Contract Problem Dallas Can’t Ignore
The biggest obstacle is financial — and philosophical.
Davis will earn $58.5 million next season and holds a $62.8 million player option for 2026-27. He is also eligible for a four-year, $275 million maximum extension in August.
Matching that salary is difficult. Matching Dallas’ incentive structure is harder.
Jimmy Butler is the only Warriors player whose contract can absorb Davis’ salary in a straight swap — but Butler is older, carries his own durability concerns, and does not fit the Mavericks’ timeline built around 19-year-old top rookie Cooper Flagg and younger talent.
Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski are more age-aligned, but their combined salaries fall far short. Buddy Hield’s $9.2 million deal helps only at the margins.
“If the Warriors did really want to make a true play at Anthony Davis, they would likely have to acquire some more assets or involve another team,” Haynes said.
Translation: This isn’t a two-team deal — and it isn’t close.
A Risky Bet on a Fragile Star
Even if Golden State could construct a viable offer, Davis comes with enormous risk.
He carries a massive contract, a long injury history, and the looming decision of whether to commit to him long-term into his mid-30s.
That risk is precisely why Dallas is reluctant — and why Golden State is tempted.
The Warriors are no longer building. They are trying to squeeze value from what remains.
Steve Kerr recently acknowledged that reality bluntly.
“We are no longer the ‘17 Warriors, dominating the league,” Kerr said. “We are a fading dynasty. We know that. Everybody knows that.”
Those 2016-17 Warriors were a juggernaut, featuring Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. They went 67-15 in the regular season and 16-1 in the playoffs.
This version is something else entirely.
Golden State is hovering around the play-in line, winning some games, losing others, and searching for a structural solution that might elevate them back into relevance.
They’ve won three straight, including a Christmas Day victory over Dallas — a game in which Davis left early with a groin injury. But the win didn’t change the underlying math.
The Warriors want a savior. The Mavericks want flexibility.
Right now, those two goals are incompatible.
The Bottom Line
The Warriors’ interest in Anthony Davis is real.
So is Dallas’ disinterest.
Unless Golden State can dramatically reshape its asset pool — or find a third team willing to facilitate a complex, high-risk transaction — the idea of Davis in a Warriors uniform remains more fantasy than forecast.
For now, Golden State is left staring at the same uncomfortable truth Kerr articulated: the dynasty is no longer dominant, the margins are thinner, and the paths back to contention are narrower than they once were.
And even when the Warriors want a star badly — wanting is no longer enough.
Alder Almo is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 20 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
