6:04pm: Davis won’t require hand surgery after all, Charania tweets. He received a second opinion from specialist Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles on Tuesday and will be reevaluated in six weeks. The report was later confirmed by the team in a tweet.
1:12 pm: There’s some optimism about Davis’ ability to return to the court before the end of March even if he undergoes surgery on his injured hand, tweets Marc Stein of The Stein Line.
The idea that surgery would be season-ending may be the aspect of ESPN’s reporting that Davis took exception to. Shortly after Charania published his report, Davis posted a tweet stating, “Y’all better stop listening to all these lies on these apps!”
It wasn’t clear based on that post if Davis was disputing that he’ll undergo surgery, his potential recovery timeline, or the fact that the Mavs are having renewed trade talks about him.
For what it’s worth, the wording in Charania’s full story at ESPN.com suggests that surgery would end Davis’ season only if he remains in Dallas, since the Mavs would have little incentive to bring him back down the stretch if they’re lottery-bound.
12:10 pm: Mavericks big man Anthony Davis will likely undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). According to Charania, a surgical procedure would sideline Davis for “several” months and could essentially end his season.
However, Charania reports in a follow-up tweet that the injury hasn’t resulted in Davis being removed from the trade block. In fact, sources tell ESPN that the Mavericks have reopened trade discussions with multiple teams who hold interest in the 10-time All-Star.
As Charania explains, a team that makes a trade for Davis could aim to get him back in action for or during the playoffs while also making him part of its plans for 2026/27 and beyond.
Davis sustained the hand injury late in the fourth quarter during last Thursday’s loss at Utah. His hand appeared to bend back at an odd angle while defending Utah star Lauri Markkanen on a drive (YouTube link). Reporting on Friday indicated that Davis had sustained ligament damage in the hand and that he was seeking multiple medical opinions as he weighed surgical and non-surgical treatment options.
While Davis was facing an extended absence either way, the expectation was that taking the surgical route would result in a longer-term layoff.
Despite a career résumé that includes four first-team (and one second-team) All-NBA nods, a championship, and a spot on the league’s 75th anniversary team, Davis’ trade value had declined this season due to his ever-growing injury history, his age (33 in March), his maximum-salary contract (which pays him $54.1MM this season), and his reported desire for an offseason contract extension. His current deal runs through at least next season, with a $62MM player option for 2027/28.
If the Mavs trade Davis at this year’s trade deadline, his inability to suit up right away will further diminish his value on the market, so the front office would be selling low. Still, former general manager Nico Harrison, who made Davis the centerpiece of last year’s shocking Luka Doncic trade, is no longer employed by the Mavs, and the current decision-makers in Dallas – led by interim co-GMs Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi – are presumably less attached to the star forward/center.
Atlanta and Toronto have been the teams most frequently linked to Davis since the regular season began, with the Hawks considered a more viable trade partner for Dallas since creating future cap flexibility by trading Trae Young to Washington. If the Hawks do make an offer for Davis, they wouldn’t be able to include either CJ McCollum or Corey Kispert as salary-matching pieces, since those two players can’t be “re-aggregated” in a trade prior to the February 5 deadline.
I saw the video of him injuring that hand, and it seems like the offensive player barely brushed him with his hip. The fact that AD now wears protective glasses is all too funny to me.. don’t get me wrong injuries suck but it’s just hilarious. what a beta he is at his size. I don’t understand how being so soft doesn’t stop players like him and KAT from shouting in people‘s faces after every good play they make. Basketball is the epitome of what goes around comes around – stay humble pussycats!
You’re a moron.
Only betas call other people betas; it’s always projection on their part. I pity people like them who are so uncomfortable in their own skin that they feel the need to attack others to feel better about themselves. So, too, do I pity those who consider character traits like that to represent real strength (like with a certain current president…)
who hurt you?
AD needed surgery for his eye… This is not a question of hard or soft. But nice narrative you’re trying your hands at.
AD wears those glasses because they’re kinda fly.
Those glasses are fly, they look great on him. A couple of guys have started wearing them. I think they look great, what are they Oakleys?
Terrible post. Be better, chatter.
You gonna take that from him Davey?? sounds like a rap battle!! Give it to him Davey!
“What a beta”
AD would eliminate you and your entire bloodline if he were locked in a room with them. You speak like someone who not only has never been in some sort of physical altercation, but has never been around an actual athlete who is 6’8 or taller.
Those are not men. They are physical freaks. Any assertion that they are soft when compared to how fast your thumbs can move, is a joke at best. You know you gave a bad take when Davey is clowning you.
Lakers should take back AD
Trade anyone Mavs want except Big 3
As long as AD is healthy in playoffs
Not a bad idea for this season, but I don’t think new ownership wants to be strapped down by that contract for ‘27 and possibly ‘28. If AD had been mostly healthy this season, I’d be willing to take the risk if I was Laker ownership – him, Luka, and Austin would be a much better Big 3 than what they’ve got right now. But even then, I doubt Mavs are even remotely interested in young rotation pieces/picks (any??) Lakers have to offer. They don’t call him Pestinka for nothing. If it wasn’t for Jeanie finally selling, we all know Pestinka woulda extended Brawny Senioroid AGAIN this past summer. Gutless, Rob.
To get Davis they would have to trade LeBron and his NTC
Who would want to risk and send out salary matching players just to have 41 year old LeBron on a roster for potentially half a season?
New York doesnt want to trade Anunoby or lose their big man in KAT, Warriors might not want to trade jimmy butler and LeBron has questionable interest there, Cleveland would have to trade Garland
How could they possibly ever match salaries? Lakers are at the apron. What, the Mavs do the lakers a favor by taking Rui, Ayton, Vincent, kleber and Vanderbilt for what… I guess the right to get AD off the books? . I guess you would give Cooper a bench, but… so literally they gave away Luka for nothing but some expiring contracts and one first rounder. OMG, no way.
no worry
Lakers can keep Ayton and add Dalton in the deal
Rui, Dalton, Vincent, kleber and Vanderbilt for AD
Mavs can add Vet min guys
Why would the Mavs do that exactly?
I think this means the Mavs should keep him, maybe at a bit of a discount now.
Davis’ injury has lots of ramifications for the trade season. He figured in several multi-team trade scenarios.
Shams says there remain interested teams, but GSW and ATL aren’t likely to be among them…
Davis to Clips
Collins, Bogdanovic, Beal to Mavs
Lopez, Jones to Nets, Jazz
Salaries work, maybe just 1 unprotected swap, with AD having chance to get back to LA
Clips promote Sanders, Jordan. Need to add two more players. And with this moves they duck under luxury
I bet that Clips will get either Davis or Irving, it fits their styly.
So the clippers trade their entire bench and depth starters so they can have 2 glass superstars
Might as well trade Harden back to Philly for Embiid and see how many games they all miss
I wouldn’t count out the Hawks just yet, though you’re probably right. But if they only have to give up Risacher essentially as the only player of real consequence (no disrespect to Porzingis, but his health issue is problematic in the long run), maybe they roll the dice and take their shot. And at least this isn’t a knee/leg/shoulder/etc injury.
Definitely agree on the Warriors. Never thought that was likely to begin with.
Nobody is interested. Mavs have been shopping him and nobody is biting. These articles about teams showing interest are coming from the Mavs, who keep telling reporters they are discussing Davis with specific teams, but they leave out that it’s Dallas making the calls. Don’t fall for the click bait.
Davis and Flagg for Luka :)))))
Can’t make this stuff up!
Guy can’t catch a break. What a shame, he’s so great when he can go. Get well soon big man.
NBA — TelaNovela lols ……. I guess if you get him cheap, why not. As fast as getting value for AD. For Mavs its best to wait till next year. Shut him down and tank. Only trade I want ——
KP, Risacher, Pels pick …..
Then I buy out KP ….
Only a fool blindly believes anything Shams says these days; always have to take his word with a grain of salt. First it was serving as a mouthpiece for certain parties, now this.
And of course he doesn’t even apologize to AD (at least publicly) or the public for being wrong. I see people stumping for him by blaming his source for feeding him bad info, but vetting them is literally a huge part of the job. But when you’re more concerned about being first than accurate, this is sometimes the result.
@ Shae….Both Klutch sports guys Ant and Shams. Obviously not on the same page these days. The klutch ship is sinking.
What are the chances back to LA for Luka? haha
My dark horse to acquire AD is Detroit; they have the pieces, picks, expiring contracts, and enough cap space to trade for AD. Cade Cunningham, Thompson, Duren, Tobias Harris, and a healthy AD can challenge and beat anybody in the East, including the Knicks.
How does tying up $50mil on an injured player riding the bench help the pistons?
Because he won’t be injured forever and when he is healthy, AD is still a top ten player in the NBA, Detroit has a bunch of expiring contracts to make the trade, and if they can keep Cade Cunningham, Thompson, and Duren, plus a healthy AD, they will definitely win the East.