The Chicago Bulls are executing the organization's "building while competing" mantra almost flawlessly as they sit eighth in the Eastern Conference standings behind the efforts of a young, deep roster. They would throw at least some of that out the window if they were to swing a trade with the Dallas Mavericks for star big man Anthony Davis.
But if they can land Davis while keeping their core together? That's worth a conversation for executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas and his front office.
That deal isn't out of the realm of possibility, either, at least according to the NBA staff at Bleacher Report. In an aptly named piece titled, "The Best Way to Get Anthony Davis to the Chicago Bulls," they outline a three-team blockbuster that gets Davis to the Windy City while Chicago hangs onto Josh Giddey, Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Matas Buzelis.
Bulls trade for Anthony Davis but keep Giddey, White, Buzelis in proposal
Here's the three-team deal, which also involves the Brooklyn Nets:
The Mavericks also get trade exceptions for Davis, Exum and Martin, while the Bulls get an $8 million trade exception for Jones. The deal can't be completed until Dec. 15, when Jones is eligible to be traded.
Dallas's draft pick cupboard is fairly barren, so in this deal, the new front office adds another pair of first-rounders. Should the picks convey, the Mavs will have three of those to play with this summer.
Jones has proven to be one of the 2025 offseason's shrewdest signings, and the Mavericks can see how Huerter and Collins fit next to Cooper Flagg; if they don't work out, they're both unrestricted free agents.
Brooklyn hops into the trade to make the logistics work, and for its trouble, adds a pair of future picks, takes a flier on Terry and gets Carter's expiring contract.
Grading the Anthony Davis mock trade for the Bulls
If Karnisovas can get Davis to Chicago without giving up any of his budding young players, the risk may be worth the reward.
The Brow is 32 years old with a terrifying history of injuries. He's only played 14 games with the Mavericks despite being traded more than nine months ago. He hasn't played since Oct. 29 as he deals with a lingering calf injury. But if he's not asked to be the focal point of an offense -- which he wouldn't be with Giddey and White still around -- he could play out the third act of his career as a dominant defender and low-usage scorer.
The Bulls are desperate for a defensive anchor. Even past his prime, Davis is one of those when he's healthy (I know, I know, the health thing). Just two seasons ago, he finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and was a First Team All-Defense performer.
If this deal goes down, head coach Billy Donovan could run out a starting lineup of Giddey, White, Dosunmu, Buzelis and Davis. That group is heavy on playmaking, features multiple shooters and has defenders at all three levels. And that's not accounting for Nikola Vucevic, Exum and Martin.
White and Dosunmu are both unrestricted free agents, which presents a conundrum. But armed with the most cap space in the league heading into the summer, Karnisovas can try to re-sign both or perhaps work out a sign-and-trade that would replace the draft capital sent to Dallas. This is an intriguing deal.