After suffering a hand injury in a loss to the Utah Jazz, Anthony Davis was ruled out for "several months." One league insider confirmed the worst for the Dallas Mavericks.
On January 8, the Dallas Mavericks lost to the Utah Jazz. It was one of the more embarrassing losses in a season that fans will be quick to forget, but the final score wasn't the worst news to come out of the game.
Anthony Davis suffered ligament damage in his hand. At the time, it was reported that he would miss "several months." A more recent injury update confirms that timeline, while also suggesting that his "season is essentially over."
In the wake of the injury news, the Mavericks have been urged to tank, perhaps "organically." Of course, they don't have the talent to do much of anything else. For the long-term draft outlook, losing Davis could be a good thing, as it kicks off an official rebuild. In terms of immediate trade value, however, there isn't much to celebrate.
Why AD Injury Is a Nightmare for Rebuilding Mavs
This season, Davis has been unreliable at best and a shell of himself at worst. He posted averages of 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds, the lowest scoring output of his rookie season. However, he was just good enough to keep the Mavericks from the bottom of the standings.
Dallas has won only five games without him this season. With injury keeping him sidelined, the Mavericks have all but locked up top odds in the 2026 NBA Draft lottery.
However, his injury is still not in the Mavericks' best interests. It's long been clear that Davis is not a piece for Dallas moving forward, although teams ready to win now have been linked to him in trade rumors.
Teams like the Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, and Atlanta Hawks all have some degree of interest in him. Or, should we say, they had an interest in him.
As the Pistons, Raptors, Hawks, and Warriors vie for playoff position, giving up any assets for a player who won't suit up this year doesn't exactly improve their chances. Before injury, Davis could have fetched a decent sum from a desperate team. Now, the Mavericks will most likely have to wait until the offseason to deal him away.
Between Kyrie Irving and Davis, the Mavericks have $90 million in aging stars sitting on the bench, battling injuries. Of course, that's not the fault of the organization, although their injury luck prevents them from fetching top dollar for their veterans on the trade market.
A losing season with a silver lining is now just a losing season. Unless a team with a longer-term vision thinks Davis is the right fit, any blockbuster move the Mavericks could have made will be put to the side.