The NBA trade season unofficially started on December 15, and everyone’s waiting for the first notification to hit their phones. One such Facebook post stood out, centering on Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis heading to the Golden State Warriors.

Basketball Rush claimed to list out the entire transaction, exchanging Davis for Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and Moses Moody.

Unfortunately, according to EssentiallySports’ Fact-Check team, this post is false. The aforementioned account is infamously known for its hint of satire. Hence, as of now, the trade is not real, especially with no official sources corroborating the story.

The problem with this trade news, which is clearly false, is that the Warriors cannot trade Kuminga until January 15 because of the contract he signed in the offseason. The team holds Bird rights, and his contract is more than 120% of last year’s. So, Kuminga becomes eligible to trade only in January instead of December, Bobby Marks of ESPN explained recently.

This hasn’t stopped the rumor from feeling real, though…

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The Warriors have openly been searching for frontcourt help to help take the pressure off veteran forward Draymond Green, and Anthony Davis is precisely the kind of player they need. The Warriors’ young trio represents the kind of return package that fans might assume the Mavericks could land.

The Warriors want Anthony Davis, but the Mavericks aren’t buying what they’re selling

The Golden State Warriors are searching for answers following a disappointing start to the season, currently sitting at 16-16 for the #8 seed.

Everything points in one direction: better center-play. Green is still serviceable, but as the team tries to stay relevant in a crowded Western Conference, the front office is looking for ways to stabilize the team without getting rid of what remains of their championship core.

The final connecting word came from veteran insider Chris Haynes, who reported on NBA on Prime:

“I was told they’re contemplating making a case to acquire Anthony Davis,” Haynes mentioned. “The Warriors are really trying to figure out ways to assure themselves that they have a real dominant, defensive dominant starting center going into the second half of the season.”

Haynes previously reported that the Warriors were looking for a rim-running big man who could catch lobs to create vertical spacing, immediately propelling them into the top tier of contenders.

Unfortunately, the Mavericks are not interested in whatever Steve Kerr’s team has to offer, which means any genuine deal on the table would require the Warriors to involve a third team or acquire additional assets via trade. Their salary cap and limited trade capital leave very little room for any simple solutions, and Davis’ employers have absolutely no incentive to move him unless they like the return package.

For now, this trade highlights the need for the Warriors to improve in any way they can before it’s too late.