The Dallas Mavericks are facing an uncomfortable but increasingly unavoidable reality. Even with Anthony Davis likely headed for surgery and a multi-month absence, the franchise is still exploring trade conversations around the All-Star big man, according to Shams Charania. It is a move that speaks less to optimism and more to urgency.
Charania reported that Davis is expected to undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand, a procedure that would effectively end his regular season. Given Dallas’ current direction, that absence alone would normally shut down any trade discussions. Instead, the opposite appears to be happening.
League sources told ESPN that the Mavericks have held renewed trade talks with multiple teams, with the idea that a contender could acquire Davis now and potentially get him back during the postseason, while also positioning him as a long-term piece beyond this season.
That logic only exists because Dallas is running out of options. Davis’ time with the Dallas Mavericks has been derailed almost from the start. Since arriving in Texas, he has suffered 18 separate injuries in less than a calendar year. Groin strains, adductor issues, calf problems, a sore Achilles, and now a significant hand injury have prevented any sustained rhythm. He has missed 42 games as a Maverick while appearing in just 29 total contests, including only 20 games this season.
This latest injury also adds to a staggering career-long pattern. A detailed breakdown circulating online shows Davis has dealt with 296 injuries across 51 unique body parts during his NBA career. That context matters. For rival executives, this is no longer about bad luck or a single setback. It is a durability profile that fundamentally affects valuation.
And yet, when Davis plays, the appeal is obvious. He is averaging 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks while shooting over 50% from the field. His defensive impact remains elite. He still erases shots, anchors schemes, and forces teams to rethink how they attack the paint. In his most recent outing before the hand injury, he posted 21 points and 11 rebounds against the Utah Jazz. The skill has not faded.
Availability has.
For Dallas, the timing could not be worse. The team sits at 14-25, outside the playoff picture and drifting without a clear identity. A multi-month absence from Davis all but removes any realistic push this season. Waiting until the summer carries risk as well. Another injury, another setback, and his value could dip even further.
That is why the Mavericks are listening now. The pitch to contenders is straightforward. Acquire Davis at a discounted price, rehab him patiently, and potentially unleash him in the playoffs. For teams already secure in the standings, the risk may be tolerable. For Dallas, it is about recouping value before the market tightens further.
Davis’ camp, led by Rich Paul, has defended the Mavericks’ direction and the original decision to bring him in. But the reality on the floor has undercut every optimistic timeline. Each injury resets the conversation, and each reset makes it harder to justify building around him.
This is not an indictment of Davis as a player. He is still great. But greatness without reliability forces difficult decisions. If Dallas can find a team willing to absorb the risk and believe in a postseason return, moving Davis now may be the cleanest exit from a partnership that never found stable ground.
The Mavericks are not shopping Anthony Davis because they want to. They are doing it because time, health, and leverage are no longer on their side.
