Dallas Mavericks

After missing more than a month of action earlier this season, Anthony Davis is back and looking to lead the Dallas Mavericks into the postseason.

"It's just a mental hurdle of allowing my body to just be free," he said after hitting the winning shot in the final seconds of Wednesday's 120-118 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, per ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

"Even though I've been pain-free and haven't had any problems, I've always had a burst and then start thinking about it. I just made up my mind after my pregame nap, I was just going to play and just whatever happens, happens. Just go out there and just play with a lot of energy, a lot of force, a lot of dominance and was able to catch a rhythm."

Davis hit the go-ahead basket on the Mavericks' final possession and then shut down Trae Young on a three-pointer that could have won it for Atlanta at the buzzer.

"To have a closer and a two-way player like Anthony, we all rally around him," Klay Thompson said. "We go as he goes. He's obviously our best player, so he did what he was supposed to do. That was incredible."

Davis had a healthy start to the 2024-25 season but has since struggled to stay on the floor. In his debut with the Mavs following a blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, he suffered a left adductor strain.

That injury, which occurred on Feb. 8, sidelined the 32-year-old until March 24 when he made his return against the Brooklyn Nets.

Since returning from injury, Davis has played five games for Dallas. So far in a Mavericks uniform, the 10-time All-Star is averaging 19.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game.

Wednesday was his best game with the team to this point with 34 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks to go along with his late heroics.

The Mavericks have dealt with a number of ailments this season outside of just Davis. A few weeks after AD went down with the adductor strain, star point guard Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL, ending his season prematurely.

Dante Exum suffered a broken bone in his hand shortly after Irving's injury. The injury ended Exum's season. Big men Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford have also missed significant time in the second half of the season.

Amid all the injuries, the Mavericks are sitting in ninth place in the Western Conference at 38-39.

Spencer Dinwiddie thinks Anthony Davis is being unfairly criticized because he was the key player acquired by the Dallas Mavericks in the Luka Dončić trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Appearing on the Club 520 Podcast (starts at 35:26 mark), Dinwiddie said critics of the trade who are "acting like AD is a bum" is unfair to Davis' talent.

"You could feel how you feel about the trade," Dinwiddie added. "Win, lose, better for now, better for the future, whatever it may be. We’ve got to stop acting like AD isn’t AD bro. We got to stop."

There was almost no criticism of the trade that disregarded Davis' talent as a player. ESPN's Kevin Pelton graded the Mavericks' side of the trade as an F, but he acknowledged it wasn't a "dismissal" of Davis.

The two primary issues raised had to do with the difference in age between Dončić (26) and Davis (31), as well as the rationale from Mavericks officials for making the move.

General manager Nico Harrison told ESPN's Tim MacMahon that he was motivated to make the trade because it's his belief that "defense wins championships" and "getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance" to win now and in the future.

This explanation might have held water if the Mavs weren't in the NBA Finals with Dončić as their best player last season. There was also the strange covert nature of the trade discussions that raised eyebrows.

Once the Mavs decided they wanted to move on from Dončić, it wouldn't have been hard to convince the other 29 teams to put together their best trade package for him in order to maximize a return.

Instead, per NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks only offered him to the Lakers because Harrison wanted Davis. There were also reports that Dallas was concerned about Dončić's long-term durability, even though Davis has a history of injuries that has made him unavailable for long stretches throughout his career.

Davis showed he's still a great player in his first game for the Mavs. He had 26 points and 16 rebounds in 31 minutes against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 8, but he injured his adductor muscle in the third quarter and missed the next 18 games.

During Davis' absence, the Mavericks lost Kyrie Irving for the season due to a torn ACL. Their team-wide injury issues got so bad there was recently concern they might have to forfeit games because they wouldn't have enough players available.

Since the Dončić-Davis trade on Feb. 2, the Mavs have gone 10-13 and are clinging to the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference with a one-game lead in the win column over the Phoenix Suns.

None of this is Davis' fault, who didn't ask to be involved in a deal for one of the most beloved players in Mavs history, but he's always going to be remembered by fans in Dallas as the guy who was traded for Dončić.

Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts is confident the organization can win back fan trust after trading Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a package for Anthony Davis.

Speaking on KFAA-TV in Dallas during Tuesday's broadcast of the Mavs game against the New York Knicks, Welts said they are going to "earn" trust back from the fans by building a team "the right way" to win championships.

It's a herculean task that Welts and the Mavericks front office have given themselves to appeal to fans. The aftermath of the Dončić trade has not been kind to Mavs decision-makers.

The first game at American Airlines Center following the trade saw hundreds of fans gather outside to protest. Chants calling for the firing of general manager Nico Harrison have been heard at events in the Dallas area.

Mavs fans protesting outside of American Airlines Center 😳👀

“SELL! THE! TEAM!” 🗣️

(via @jake_riepma 105.3 The Fan Show Host) pic.twitter.com/NXoEnAuuAf

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 2, 2025

Some Mavs fans said they were allowed to cancel their season tickets after the trade, though fan disinterest didn't stop the team from raising prices on season-ticket packages for 2025-26.

Harrison explained the decision behind the trade to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, saying he believed "defense wins championships" and adding Davis improves their chances of reaching that goal.

“I believe that defense wins championships,” Mavs GM Nico Harrison told ESPN regarding his motivation to trade Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. “I believe that getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We’re built to… https://t.co/iPfQvA4str

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 2, 2025

It didn't help that the key player Dallas got back in return for Dončić immediately got hurt in his first game with the team. Davis had 26 points and 16 rebounds in 31 minutes against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 8 before suffering a groin injury. He did return to the lineup on Monday, finishing with 12 points in 27 minutes against the Brooklyn Nets.

While Davis was out of the lineup, the Mavs lost Kyrie Irving for the season when he tore his ACL against the Sacramento Kings on March 3.

There has just been a snowball effect of bad luck for the Mavericks since moving on from Dončić. They are currently outside of the play-in picture with a 35-38 record, though they are only one game back of the Phoenix Suns in the loss column for the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference.

Welts, Harrison and the other key decision-makers better hope their plan pays off because they just went to the NBA Finals last season with Dončić as their best player.

If it doesn't work out, the Mavs risk falling back to where they were before adding Dončić in the 2018 draft. They were coming off back-to-back losing seasons and had no real long-term franchise building blocks on the roster.

Dallas Mavericks point guard Kyrie Irving reflected on the fallout from the shocking trade that sent his former running mate Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

During a recent live stream on Twitch, Irving addressed the backlash general manager Nico Harrison faced from Mavs fans and admitted that the situation weighed on him for quite some time.

"But bringing that s--t to life—and some of the things that were going on in Dallas, like the casket, the 'Fire Nico' chants, and these unfortunate situations where you’re attacking someone who’s just performing a function of the business—that was emotional," Irving said at the 2:17:40 mark (h/t HoopsHype). "It was emotional for a lot of people, and it was emotional for me too. I ain’t gonna lie to you—I struggled a little bit the first few days."

Irving was sent to the Mavs at the 2023 trade deadline, beginning a partnership with Doncic that proved fruitful. In their first full season together in 2023-24, they helped lead Dallas to a 50-32 record and a surprising run to the 2024 NBA Finals, where they lost to the Boston Celtics in five games.

Many expected the Mavs to contend for a spot in the Finals once again this season, but Harrison was convinced to trade Doncic to the Lakers in a deal that acquired star big man Anthony Davis, and things quickly went downhill after that. Davis hasn't played since suffering an adductor strain in his team debut, and Irving later suffered a season-ending torn ACL.

Still, Irving has accepted the reality of the situation and said he doesn't pay too much attention to the outside criticisms.

"But after a while—yo—you get to where you are by making some incredible moves," he added. "And mind you, everybody’s going to have their opinion about what we should’ve done or what we should’ve did. But we can only deal with what we’re doing now."

Dallas Mavericks star forward Anthony Davis is reportedly nearing his return.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Davis reportedly "is in increasingly strong contention to make his return to the floor during the Mavericks' upcoming swing through the Eastern Conference."

He added that Davis is "the closest of the Mavericks' injured veterans to being activated. Fellow sidelined big men Dereck Lively (right ankle) and Daniel Gafford (right knee) returned to 3-on-3 activities this week, while newly acquired swingman Caleb Martin has again been derailed by a right hip injury after appearing in five games."

After my report yesterday that Anthony Davis is poised to return from a left adductor strain during the Mavericks' upcoming four-game road trip, Dallas has officially upgraded Davis to doubtful Monday at Brooklyn.

Full story on Davis' looming comeback: https://t.co/qxmBZdQrvz https://t.co/KIglmF7w7l

— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) March 23, 2025

Davis has been sidelined since Feb. 8 when he suffered a strained left adductor in his Mavs debut after the team acquired him in the shocking Luka Dončić trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Mavs assigned Davis to the Texas Legends in the G League on March 17 as he ramped up his recovery. ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that "there has been discussion about shutting down Davis for the season, but the superstar has been steadfast in his determination to return."

In his lone appearance in a Dallas uniform, Davis looked impressive with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in 31 minutes against the Houston Rockets.

Davis' injury was just one of the many misfortunes the Mavs experienced after trading away Dončić. Star point guard Kyrie Irving was lost for the season due to a torn ACL, and the team lost so many players to injury that it appeared at one point that Dallas would need to consider the possibility of forfeiting games.

The Mavs rank 11th in the Western Conference with a 34-37 record. It was just a year ago that Dončić led the team to the NBA Finals.

If Davis is able to return, it would provide some positivity for a reeling fan base in Dallas as the regular season nears its end.

Longtime Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is still getting used to life without star guard Luka Dončić following his shocking trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Cuban, who no longer owns controlling interest in the Mavs, opened up about Dončić's departure during an appearance on the Your Mom's House podcast and made it clear that he was surprised by general manager Nico Harrison's decision to ship away the young phenom.

"I loved Luka," Cuban said at the 58:40 mark. "We weren't best buddies, but I would text him all the time and DM him. I would give him all these motivational quotes, even gave him books to read and stuff to read. So we had a good relationship, got along great with his dad. I was just as dumbfounded as everybody else."

Since trading Dončić, the Mavs have taken a massive tumble amid injuries to key players, including star point guard Kyrie Irving's season-ending torn ACL. Dallas now ranks 11th in the West with a 33-37 record and appears likely to miss the playoffs.

When asked about (seemingly unfounded) rumors that Irving could be waived this offseason, Cuban initially shot down the notion before admitting anything is possible after the unexpected Dončić trade.

"And I love Kyrie too, maybe they're just trying to get rid of the people I like," Cuban joked. "You know, somebody comes in, takes over a company and gets rid of the old guys."

Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis was assigned to the NBA G League's Texas Legends as he continues to rehab his adductor injury.

Anthony Davis will practice with the Texas Legends so he can get 5-on-5 work as he ramps up for his return. https://t.co/4YhLOx6TI2

— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) March 17, 2025

The big man was recalled later in the day Monday after a short stint with the G League team, the team announced. Jaden Hardy was also recalled and has a chance to play for the team on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers, according to NBA Insider Marc Stein.

Davis came to Dallas in the shocking trade that sent Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Mavericks surely hoped he could team with Kyrie Irving to keep them among the best teams in the Western Conference.

However, injuries have largely prevented that. 

Irving was lost for the season to a torn ACL, and Davis suffered an adductor strain during his first game with his new team on Feb. 8. After Irving's injury, ESPN's Shams Charania appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and suggested Davis might not return to the lineup this season either.

"I think him, his representatives are gonna huddle up," Charania said. "I think they're gonna have some very hard conversations. It's not out of the realm of possibility that one game was the last time we've seen Anthony Davis this season."

Yet Stein reported on March 10 that Davis was "progressing toward an in-season return."

While durability has been a concern for Davis at times throughout his career, including this season, having him available would be a significant step in the right direction for a Mavericks team that has not experienced the 2024-25 season many envisioned.

Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington took exception to chants from fans calling for the firing of general manager Nico Harrison following the blockbuster Luka Dončić trade.

“At the end of the day, the trade has happened,” Washington said Sunday, per Christian Clark of The Athletic. “We understand we have a new team now. All that ‘Fire Nico’ stuff, we’re sick and tired of hearing it. We just want to go out there and play, and we need the fans to support us, no matter who’s on the floor. That’s just how I feel about it.”

A fan yelled the message to Washington in the third quarter of the Mavericks' 130-125 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, which elicited a response from the 26-year-old while he was shooting free throws (via Clark).

Washington finished with 29 points, 12 rebounds and two assists while shooting 64.7 percent from the field in the defeat.

Mavericks fans have made their frustration known after the team shockingly traded Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2 for a package that included Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick.

ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that multiple fans were ejected from a Feb. 10 clash with the Sacramento Kings due to violations of the NBA's code of conduct, with two supporters holding large signs that read, "FIRE NICO."

Davis looked sharp in his Mavericks debut by finishing with 26 points and 16 rebounds, but he suffered a left adductor strain and hasn't played since.

In the 20 games following the reveal of the five-time All-Star's trade from Dallas, the team owns a 7-13 record to go along with the second-worst net rating in the association (via NBA.com).

Although Mavericks fans continue to express their disappointment with the trade made by Harrison, players have grown tired of hearing the chants for his removal while on the floor.

The Dallas Mavericks are at risk of forfeiting games if they fall below the minimum of eight active players required for teams to play, per ESPN's Bobby Marks.

It's an incredibly complicated situation involving both the team's shorthanded roster due to injuries and the league's salary cap rules. Marks breaks it all down, but in essence, the date to look at is Monday, March 24 at the Brooklyn Nets where the Mavs could find themselves in position to be forced to forfeit a game.

The first issue at hand is the team losing players due to injury.

Kyrie Irving (torn ACL), Olivier Maxence-Prosper (right wrist injury) and Dante Exum (fractured left hand) are out for the year.

Dallas provided a March 7 update on Anthony Davis (left adductor strain), Dereck Lively II (right ankle stress fracture) and Daniel Gafford (right knee sprain), stating that all three are improving. However, there is no concrete timetable on any of their returns.

Jaden Hardy (right ankle sprain) and Kai Jones (quad) haven't played since March 3. P.J. Washington (right ankle sprain) has been out since March 1.

However, Jones and Washington were both questionable for the team's Friday injury report prior to a 133-96 loss at the Houston Rockers, leaving hope that they could return soon.

But for now, it leaves Brandon Williams, Dwight Powell, Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall, Caleb Martin, Max Christie, Spencer Dinwiddie and Kessler Edwards as the lone healthy players (eight total).

Williams and Edwards are two-way players. Per the G League website, two-way players can only be active for up to 50 games with their NBA team.

Edwards has played 37 and sat for 10 (coaches' decision) for 47 total, while Williams has played 25, sitting 19 (coaches' decision) for 44 total. So Edwards can be active for three more games, while Williams can only be active for six more.

In theory, Edwards could be active for the team's next three games: Sunday versus the Philadelphia 76ers, Wednesday at the Indiana Pacers and Friday versus the Detroit Pistons. However, that would make him unable for the rest of the season, beginning Sunday, March 24 at the Nets, hence Marks' point.

That's where the second issue comes into play: The Mavs don't have any flexibility to sign more players. They are just under the first apron hard cap by $51,000. In essence, that means they can't bring anyone else in from the outside.

Per Marks, last offseason's Thompson sign-and-trade and the Marshall signing "triggered the first apron hard cap."

Henceforth, the Dallas Mavericks aren't allowed to exceed the first apron under any circumstances.

"I see people talking about, oh, it's a luxury tax issue. The owners don't want to spend. No, there is no there is no exception to to be made," said Marks.

Dallas can not just call up more players from the G-League team, the Texas Legends, like it's the minor leagues of baseball. They have three two-way players under contract in Edwards, Williams and Kai Jones, and those are the ones under contract with the Mavs who, at this moment, can still play for Dallas. Anyone else on the Legends roster cannot make an appearance for the NBA team this year.

So this all leads to a potential doomsday scenario for the Mavericks.

Of course, it can be avoided, as Washington and Jones (who can play the rest of Dallas' season) can return before the Nets game.

Marks did note that there is a way around it, in that the Mavs could simply lie on the team's injury report and activate injured players to avoid a forfeit. That could garner some ire from the league for lying on the injury report, although that would certainly be a better option than outright forfeiting a game.

Ultimately, this is a brutal spot for the 33-35 Mavs, who are still in the play-in picture despite losing nine of their last 11 games. Dallas is holding onto the 10th spot in the Western Conference by a game-and-a-half over the Phoenix Suns.

In the interim, the Mavs will press on, beginning Sunday versus another team that's been hit hard with injuries in the 76ers.

On the heels of the Luka Dončić trade and season-ending injury to Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson is doing his best to bring optimism to the Dallas Mavericks.

Speaking to reporters after Monday's 133-129 win over the Sacramento Kings, Thompson said he wants to lead the Mavs to "glory" and is confident in what their roster can be when everyone is healthy.

Klay Thompson still believes in the Mavericks’ future despite all of the injuries.

He wants to help lead them back to “glory”#MFFL pic.twitter.com/QoPcK9uuY0

— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) March 11, 2025

Irving's injury was a devastating blow because he had picked up so much of the offensive slack after Dončić got deal to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2. The nine-time All-Star was averaging 26.2 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in 11 starts after the trade before tearing his ACL against the Kings on March 3.

The Mavericks only got to see Anthony Davis play one game before he suffered a strained adductor against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 8. They've also been playing without Daniel Gafford since Feb. 10 due to a knee sprain and Dereck Lively II since Jan. 14 due to an ankle fracture.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Monday that both Davis and Lively are progressing toward returning before the end of the regular season.

Depending on when either or both could return and where the Mavericks are in the standings, it might be in the team's best interest to hold them back to improve their draft positioning.

Monday's victory over the Kings snapped a five-game losing skid for Dallas. The Mavs (33-33) are sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference with a 2.5-game lead over the Phoenix Suns (30-35).

The Mavs signed Thompson to a three-year, $50 million contract in free agency last summer. It was thought at the time he would be the three-point specialist on a team with Dončić and Irving carrying most of the offensive burden.

There was also a hope that Thompson could be a missing piece to get the Mavericks over the hump after losing in the NBA Finals last season.

Instead, they are fighting to make the play-in tournament with their two best players injured right now.

Thompson is doing his best to give Dallas' offense some juice with Irving and Davis out of the lineup, having scored at least 26 points in three of the last four games. He only had three games with at least 25 points in his previous 54 starts this season.