The Dallas Mavericks just received another blow to their disastrous season. Coming off a 116-114 loss to the Utah Jazz on Thursday, the Mavericks are now facing the prospect of losing their star big man for the next six weeks.
In an update on X, Shams Charania revealed that Anthony Davis suffered ligament damage in his left hand and could require surgery. The 32-year-old big man is currently seeking a second opinion on treatment options, but could be sidelined through the NBA’s trade deadline on February 5. He has already missed 14 games this season due to various injuries and now he could miss six more weeks if they decide against surgery.
While Dallas has been largely inconsistent this season, Davis was making an impact when available. He averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game on 50.6% shooting and 27.0% shooting from three while anchoring the defense. He was finally starting to get into a steady offensive rhythm before facing potentially season-ending surgery.
Sadly, this routine is nothing new for Davis. Injuries have been one of the biggest stories of his career so far, as he’s always had trouble staying on the court. As he’s gotten older, the durability issues have only intensified, culminating with his time in Dallas so far, where he’s played just 29 games since last February’s trade.
For the Mavericks, this injury marks yet another notable setback in a stretch that’s been marred with problems. Between this situation, Kyrie Irving’s extended absence, and Klay Thompson’s decline, the Mavericks’ veteran core is falling apart with no solution in sight. Meanwhile, at 11th in the West (14-24), the situation is getting borderline hopeless in the standings.
The worst part is, with Davis likely out through the deadline, it has limited the Mavericks’ trade options, essentially locking them into a disorganized and unfit roster. While several teams were interested in the star big man, they will surely look elsewhere now that his availability is in question for the rest of the season. That means it may not be until the summer that we see any significant changes in Dallas.
Considering where they were with Luka Doncic just a few years ago, the Mavericks’ situation has devolved greatly. As it stands, Cooper Flagg’s potential is the only thing giving the franchise a sense of direction right now, but this isn’t how things were supposed to go. After starting the season with title aspirations, there is a sense of lingering disappointment as the Mavs’ title hopes teeter on the edge.
Now, the best route for Dallas may be to tank and lose as many games as possible. Without control of their first-round picks from 2027-2030, they have a small window of opportunity to secure a high draft pick. Without Davis or Irving this season, taking advantage of that window just got a whole lot easier.
