Report: Dallas Mavericks showing interest in acquiring Kevin Durant following blockbuster Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade

According to The Athletic, the Dallas Mavericks have “dreams” of adding Kevin Durant before the NBA trade deadline. Dallas is fresh off trading superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, receiving Anthony Davis as the major piece.

Kyrie Irving is already in the mix, giving the Mavericks three superstars in Davis, Durant, and Irving. While it’s been reported as an “unlikely” move for general manager Nico Harrison to pull off, anything appears possible in today’s NBA.

“League sources say the Dallas Mavericks, fresh off their Luka Dončić-for-Anthony Davis swap that sent shockwaves through the Association, have dreams of adding Durant to their Davis-Kyrie Irving-led group,” The Athletic said.

“While the likelihood of Dallas pulling this off now appears unlikely, the mere idea of Durant joining Dallas’ star-studded group sheds new light on the thinking of Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison after he was roundly ridiculed for the Dončić deal.”

Durant is one of the all-time great players but is searching for another NBA Championship. He has been in Phoenix with the Suns since 2023 but in his second year, trade rumors are already beginning to swirl. Speculation only grew on Tuesday when Durant was ruled out of Wednesday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

There might be another superstar Dallas is targeting in the near future too. LeBron James‘ name was mentioned by The Athletic, saying Harrison could target the current Laker if he were to opt out of his contract in the summer.

Of course, James just saw his team pull off the trade for Dončić, hoping to start a new era of basketball in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, in Dallas, the goal is to win an NBA Championship in the immediate future.

“Whether it’s Durant (now or later), or perhaps even the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James in the summer if he were to decline his player option for next season, the 52-year-old Harrison appears to be targeting big-time stars with whom he’s very familiar from his past life as a top Nike executive,” the report says. “The goal, of course, is to win a championship as soon as possible.”

If the Mavericks were able to bring in Durant, he would be returning to the state where his college basketball was played. Durant spent one season with the Texas Longhorns, guiding them to an Elite Eight under Rick Barnes.

Either way, folks inside the Dallas organization do not appear finished attempting to rework the roster in the post-Dončić era.