The LA Clippers are struggling through the early part of the 2025-26 season with a 4-9 record, sitting 11th in the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, the Dallas Mavericks aren't faring much better at 3-9. This has sparked some interesting trade talk, including a proposal from respected NBA insider Zach Lowe involving Anthony Davis.

Lowe's Trade Framework

On 'The Zach Lowe Show,' the veteran analyst explored the possibility of Davis landing with the Clippers, though he quickly pointed out the major obstacles standing in the way.

"[They're] hard-capped at the first apron, and not that far under it, which makes the math very difficult," Lowe said. "You'd have to build it around Collins, Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez, or Derrick Jones Jr. as the third guy. And even that comes up a little short of how much the Clippers would need to send out to stay clear of the first apron. And you want to say picks? I mean, the Clippers do control, I think at least one pick, maybe two down the line."

APHoops (@APH00PS) on X Zach Lowe believes the LA Clippers could acquire Anthony Davis in a trade centered around John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, one of Brook Lopez or Derrick Jones Jr., and "at least one pick, maybe two": "I'm prepping Dallas fans... I don't know if you're getting 3 unprotected

What Davis Would Bring to LA

Davis is a 10-time All-Star who has averaged 24.1 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game throughout his career. Adding him to a roster that already features James Harden and Kawhi Leonard would create a big three capable of competing with anyone in the Western Conference.

Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) on X The Wall at Intuit Dome had a Clippers fan cutting Anthony Davis’ unibrow during the Lakers star’s free throws.

The Clippers rank 20th in offensive rating and 26th in defensive rating, and Davis could help fix both problems with his two-way impact.

The CBA Roadblock

The biggest issue with this trade idea isn't whether Davis would help the Clippers—it's whether they can actually make the money work under the NBA's new salary cap rules.

Being hard-capped at the first apron means the Clippers can't go over a certain salary limit, which makes putting together a package for a superstar nearly impossible.

Real Sports (@realapp) on X There needs to be conversations about James Harden’s longevity…

Lowe mentioned players like John Collins, Bojan Bogdanovic, Brook Lopez, or Derrick Jones Jr. as potential pieces, but even combining those salaries wouldn't be enough to match Davis's contract while staying under the first apron.

The Clippers also don't have much draft capital to offer after years of trading picks to build their current roster.

Why This Probably Won't Happen

While bringing in a player of Davis's caliber would be a dream scenario for the Clippers, the financial restrictions make this trade nearly impossible to pull off. The new CBA was designed specifically to prevent teams from stacking superstars, and the hard cap rules are doing exactly what they were meant to do.

Unless the Clippers can find a creative way to move enough salary without gutting their entire roster, Davis will likely remain in Dallas for the foreseeable future.