Anthony Davis

Mavericks Notes: Kidd, Harrison, Finley, Riccardi, Washington, Injuries

November 12th, 2025 at 8:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd hopes Tuesday’s firing of general manager Nico Harrison will lead to a better atmosphere at home games, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Fans turned against Harrison after he traded franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Lakers in February, and “fire Nico” chants have been a regular feature at American Airlines Center, sometimes to the detriment of the home team.

“We can only hope that we don’t have to go through that again, because it was a little disrespectful, because the guys are playing hard, they’re trying to win,” Kidd told reporters before the Mavs hosted Phoenix on Wednesday. “Understanding that they got their point across, the fans, but we have to move forward. I understand the healing process for the fans, but these guys are playing hard. Ever since the trade, these guys have given everything.”

Kidd offered a reminder of the dire situation the Mavericks were in late last season, with only eight players available on many nights, but they still managed to reach the play-in tournament. He pointed out that his players are battling the odds again, with Anthony Davis missing his seventh straight game due to a strained left calf and Kyrie Irving still recovering from a torn ACL.

“We’ve got over, I think, $100MM (in player contracts) sitting on the sideline, and we’re still competing, and we’re still in games, and we’re learning how to win,” Kidd said. “So I would hope that we start to get a little credit for that, because these guys, they can hear those things and they feel really disrespected. And it’s hard to keep guys here in this league, when they start to think that the home team is not home — and then it becomes a visiting place. And so hopefully that changes tonight.”

There’s more from Dallas:

Kidd also expressed confidence in Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi, who have been appointed to handle the general manager’s duties on an interim basis, Townsend adds in the same piece. “I think we’re talking about basketball, right?” Kidd said. “And so it’s about getting back to x’s and o’s and competing. The two things that we can control is our energy and effort. Business is just talked about. We’ve got to push forward. We believe that Riccardi and Fin can do a good job, and they will do a good job.”
P.J. Washington, whose acquisition along with Daniel Gafford at the 2024 trade deadline sparked the Mavericks to an NBA Finals run, is sorry to see Harrison go, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “I thanked Nico for what he did for me,” Washington said. “He believed in this group. So do I.”
Kidd also provided injury updates on Davis, Irving and Dereck Lively II, relays Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter video link). He said all three players had positive workout days and are “working extremely hard” to get back on the court.

Mavs Rumors: Davis, Cuban, Kidd, Front Office, Harrison, Dirk

November 12th, 2025 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont has asked for medical data indicating that Anthony Davis isn’t at risk of aggravating his left calf strain before he signs off on the big man returning to action, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who reports that Davis will miss a seventh straight game on Wednesday vs. Phoenix.

Davis’ status was a subject of disagreement during the final days of Nico Harrison‘s tenure as the Mavericks’ head of basketball operations.

According to MacMahon, Mavericks director of health and performance Johann Bilsborough and Davis’ personal medical team weren’t aligned on whether Davis was ready to suit up this past weekend. Dumont sided with Bilsborough, who wanted to take a cautious approach and hold Davis out a little longer, while Harrison was in favor of the star forward/center returning, sources tell ESPN.

Within a deep dive into the Mavericks’ front office change, Joe Vardon, Christian Clark, and Sam Amick of The Athletic cover similar ground, writing that Davis has pushed the team to let him play and that Harrison supported that push. However, per both The Athletic and ESPN, there’s concern among the medical staff about the risk of a torn Achilles if Davis returns too soon from his calf issue.

We have much more on the Mavs:

Minority shareholder Mark Cuban made a case to Dumont over the past several months that Harrison was leading the Mavs in the wrong direction, according to Vardon, Clark, and Amick, who report that head coach Jason Kidd and team officials loyal to Kidd were making a similar case.
While it’s unclear whether Kidd ever explicitly suggested parting ways with Harrison, he hasn’t seen eye to eye with the former GM over the roster, having opened the season by starting Cooper Flagg at point guard over free agent addition D’Angelo Russell, write Vardon, Clark, and Amick. After receiving contract extensions in each of the past two offseasons, Kidd had more leverage than the front office in any disagreement between the two parties, The Athletic’s report notes.
The Mavericks’ pick for Harrison’s permanent replacement could provide a hint at whose voice Dumont is weighing most heavily. League sources confirm to The Athletic that Cuban has advocated for bringing back former Mavs advisor and current Pistons executive Dennis Lindsey, while Vardon, Clark, and Amick say a Matt Riccardi promotion would represent a “clear sign of Kidd’s sway” within the organization. Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link) believes Kidd will have a significant voice in the process, but hears from one source close to the situation that Dumont intends to conduct a “prudent and thorough” search.
According to The Athletic, Michael Finley was originally reluctant to accept his promotion to co-interim GM alongside Riccardi. Stein adds that league sources describe Finley as the Mavericks executive who was most strongly opposed to last season’s Luka Doncic trade before it was completed.
Citing turbulence and upheaval in the team’s health and performance department over the past year, Vardon, Clark, and Amick suggest that Harrison exhibited poor hiring practices and a lack of accountability during his time as the Mavs’ GM. The Athletic’s trio also points to the case of Victoria Martinez, who was hired as the team’s head of public relations in 2024 despite not having previous experience in the field and was subsequently fired this September after having spent the last few months doing “clean-up duty” following the Doncic trade.
In addition to making questionable hires for key roles, Harrison also didn’t respond well to anyone who disagreed with his way of doing things, multiple team employees told The Athletic. “If you offend Nico’s sensibilities any stretch of the way, that’s it,” a former employee said. “He’s a sensitive guy.”
Another factor that contributed to the decision to move on from Harrison was ownership’s desire to have a lead executive who is comfortable speaking to reporters – and fans – about the team’s plans, Stein writes. Even prior to the Doncic trade, Harrison wasn’t a natural in that role. After the deal, he was less inclined to hold media sessions and had a habit of putting his foot in his mouth when he did.
According to Stein, there’s optimism within the organization that Harrison’s exit could pave the way for former Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki to become more involved with the team again, either formally or informally. The Doncic trade and Harrison’s decision to fire longtime director of health and performance Casey Smith in 2023 were among the factors that chilled the relationship between Nowitzki and the organization.

Mavs Rumors: Harrison, Davis, Cuban, Kidd, Flagg, Cisse

November 11th, 2025 at 3:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Having lost trust in general manager Nico Harrison, Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont decided overnight on Monday that there was no reason to put off a front office change that seemed inevitable, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

[RELATED: Mavericks Dismiss GM Nico Harrison]

In making the decision to fire Harrison on Tuesday, Dumont may appease some fans in Dallas, who have frequently chanted “fire Nico” at home games since last season’s Luka Doncic trade. According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link), several Mavericks players actually preferred to play away from home this fall, since there was far less vitriol related to Harrison on the road. MacMahon makes a similar point, noting that there has been no home court advantage to speak of for the Mavs so far this season.

“These people don’t want us to win,” one player griped, according to a source who spoke to ESPN.

While Harrison’s exit may improve the vibes in Dallas to some extent, there’s still no quick fix for the 3-8 club, which has a significant hole at the point guard spot until Kyrie Irving is able to return from his torn ACL.

“There’s no point guard. You don’t have a floor leader,” an Eastern Conference scout told MacMahon. “That’s the first problem. Then you’re trying to make a guy who isn’t a point guard (Cooper Flagg) a point guard. The coach doesn’t trust the guy you signed this summer (D’Angelo Russell). That’s obvious. They don’t trust him enough to make him the floor leader, and that’s in line with the consensus around the league. They don’t have shooting, and they don’t have creation. Those are things you need to be a good offensive team.”

Russell, who was replaced in the starting lineup by Brandon Williams on Monday, has come off the bench in eight of 11 games so far and is posting career-worst shooting percentages. The Mavericks’ cap situation meant they had limited tools at their disposal this past offseason to upgrade their roster — they used their full taxpayer mid-level exception to sign Russell. Still, there presumably would’ve been more options available to Dallas on the trade market if the team had been willing to move some of its frontcourt depth to address the backcourt.

“Remarkable that Nico did not acquire a good guard this summer so they could win some games,” an Eastern Conference executive said to ESPN. “That was such low-hanging fruit.”

We have more on the Mavs:

One big question in Dallas now will be whether the team looks to move star big man Anthony Davis. John Hollinger of The Athletic argues that a Davis trade is the best path forward for the club and believes the 32-year-old would still command a haul of draft picks and/or young players, despite his injury history. According to MacMahon, several sources around the NBA agree with Hollinger and believe that the Mavs must at least gauge Davis’ trade value in the coming months. “You have Flagg, but you’re old and you don’t own your picks,” a Western Conference decision-maker told ESPN. “[They have to] be comfortable with taking two steps back if that’s the necessary path. Be patient. They need to lose this year, but I don’t see Dumont being comfortable with taking a step back. It’s not natural as a new owner.”
Former Mavericks majority owner – and current minority shareholder – Mark Cuban was involved in a meeting on Monday with Dumont and team president Rick Welts before Harrison was let go, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link). MacMahon, meanwhile, hears that Cuban and Dumont have talked more frequently in recent months and that Cuban is the one in favor of targeting former Mavs advisor Dennis Lindsey to replace Harrison. It remains to be seen how open Dumont will be to Cuban’s suggestions, MacMahon adds.
According to Stein, Dumont is expected to “lean heavily” on head coach Jason Kidd during this transition period. Kidd has signed contract extensions in each of the past two offseasons and is clearly in no danger of following Harrison out the door.
Despite the 3-8 start, there have been some bright spots in Dallas as of late. As MacMahon writes for ESPN, Flagg had his best all-around game on Monday, with 26 points and nine rebounds, and tied LeBron James as the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 25 points in a game. Additionally, two-way rookie big man Moussa Cisse seems to be finding his footing at the NBA level, having held his own in a rotation role with Davis sidelined, notes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Cisse has averaged 7.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in 17.7 minutes per game in his past three outings — the Mavs outscored opponents by 18 points in his 53 minutes on the court during that stretch.

Mavericks Dismiss GM Nico Harrison

November 11th, 2025 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

11:34 am: The Mavericks have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve parted ways with Harrison and elevated Finley and Riccardi as co-interim general manager, as previously reported. While Finley and Riccardi will run the front office for now, the Mavs indicated that they’ll conduct a “comprehensive” search for a permanent replacement for Harrison.

In addition to the press release, Dumont put out an open letter to fans addressing the decision.

“No one associated with the Mavericks organization is happy with the start of what we all believed would be a promising season,” Dumont’s letter reads, in part. “You have high expectations for the Mavericks, and I share them with you. When the results don’t meet expectations, it’s my responsibility to act. I’ve made the decision to part ways with General Manager Nico Harrison.

“Though the majority of the 2025-26 season remains to be played, and I know our players are deeply committed to a winning culture, this decision was critical to moving our franchise forward in a positive direction.

“I understand the profound impact these difficult last several months have had. Please know that I’m fully committed to the success of the Mavericks.”

9:25 am: The Mavericks are expected to move on from embattled president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, who reports (via Twitter) that Harrison’s dismissal is viewed as “imminent.”

ESPN’s Shams Charania and Tim MacMahon (Twitter link) confirm Stein’s reporting, stating that Harrison is expected to be let go at a 10:00 am Central time meeting on Tuesday.

MacMahon said on Monday that he believed it was a matter of “when, not if” Harrison will be fired, indicating that governor Patrick Dumont‘s trust in the Mavs’ top basketball executive has “disintegrated.” Christian Clark of The Athletic echoed that reporting this morning, writing that Harrison’s exit was considered inevitable.

A former Nike executive, Harrison had a significant hand in constructing a Mavericks roster that advanced to the NBA Finals in 2024, making key deals for P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford during that season. However, he has made a handful of missteps since then, most notably sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers last February in a shocking trade that incited a revolt among fans in Dallas.

While the Doncic blockbuster has overshadowed the rest of the Mavs’ recent moves, Harrison has made other questionable roster decisions within the past year, including another 2025 deadline deal that sent Quentin Grimes to Philadelphia for Caleb Martin. That trade moved the Mavs so close to their hard cap that they were unable to add any reinforcements – even on 10-day contracts – when their roster was decimated by injuries during the second half.

After missing the playoffs in the spring, the Mavericks were thrown a lifeline with a long-shot draft lottery win — they claimed the No. 1 overall pick despite having just a 1.8% chance and used that selection to draft top prospect Cooper Flagg. However, while Flagg figures to be the long-term franchise player in Dallas, his arrival hasn’t helped turn things around in the short term.

The Mavs are off to a 3-8 start this season, with a 2-5 record at home, where fans have frequently regaled the team with “Fire Nico” chants. As MacMahon writes for ESPN, that chant bubbled up several times during Monday’s loss to the Bucks, which was the first game Dumont had attended since the regular season opener.

While Dumont ultimately signed off on the Doncic trade last season, a fan who had a courtside conversation with the Mavericks’ majority owner at Monday’s game told Clark that Dumont said he “feels horrible” about the deal.

Injuries have played a part in the Mavs’ struggles since February’s trade deadline. Anthony Davis, the centerpiece of the return in the Doncic deal, appeared in just nine games for Dallas last season and has missed six of 11 contests so far this season due to a calf strain. Point guard Kyrie Irving, who became more important than ever without Doncic on the roster, sustained an ACL tear in early March and has been out since then.

Still, the Mavs knew entering the offseason that they wouldn’t have Irving available for a significant chunk of the season and Harrison’s most significant move to address that hole – signing free agent D’Angelo Russell – hasn’t worked out so far. Russell has started just three of 11 games this fall and hasn’t played up to his usual standards, making just 37.3% of his field goal attempts, including 27.8% of his three-point tries.

With Harrison on the way out, there has been a “push” from some members of the organization to try to bring back veteran executive Dennis Lindsey, according to Stein (Twitter link). A former advisor to Harrison in Dallas, Lindsey was hired in 2024 by the Pistons as their senior VP of basketball operations.

Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link), meanwhile, suggests there has been some chatter around the NBA about the possibility of head coach Jason Kidd moving into a front office role.

For now though, the Mavs figure to install an interim replacement for Harrison, per Stein and Mannix. Assistant general managers Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi are among the top candidates to take on increased roles, Mannix adds (via Twitter).

It remains to be seen what sort of vision a new head of basketball operations will have for the Mavs going forward — rebuilding around Flagg is a possibility, but not necessarily an inevitability. For what it’s worth, Stein reports (via Twitter) that Davis’ agent Rich Paul has established a strong relationship with Dumont and that the two parties communicate regularly.

Latest On Mavericks GM Nico Harrison

November 10th, 2025 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

As Marc Stein writes for The Stein Line (Substack link), Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont opted to continue backing president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison throughout the offseason and into the 2025/26 season in large part because Dumont was the one who ultimately approved last season’s shocking, widely panned trade sending Luka Doncic to Los Angeles — even if Harrison was the one who instigated that deal.

However, while the vibes in Dallas appeared to be on the rebound after the Mavs lucked into the No. 1 overall pick in May and drafted Cooper Flagg in June, the team is once again on the downswing this fall, having gotten off to a 3-7 start.

According to Stein, as the Mavs try to overcome injuries, a lack of shot creation and play-making, and subpar point-of-attack defense, morale within the organization has “cratered.” The relentless negativity surrounding the team – including at home games, where Dallas has a 2-5 record and fans have repeatedly chanted for Harrison to be fired – has been wearing on ownership.

As Stein details, it still doesn’t seem as if Dumont is eager to make a front office change, but the idea of considering such a move has become “unavoidable” amidst the ugly start to the season.

In the latest episode of The Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link), ESPN’s Tim MacMahon essentially said the same thing in much stronger terms.

“At this point, I believe it is a matter of when, not if, Nico Harrison will be fired,” MacMahon said. “And there’s a very, very strong likelihood that will be mid-season. … After that Luka trade, Patrick Dumont, one of his infamous quotes was, ‘In Nico we trust.’ I’m just telling you, the trust is disintegrated at this point.”

MacMahon pointed to the recent handling of Anthony Davis‘ left calf strain as an example of how Dumont has become increasingly involved in organizational decisions that would previously have been left up to Harrison and/or other staff members. As MacMahon explains, Davis had hoped to return to action on Saturday in Washington, but was held out after some “internal disagreement” about whether that was a good idea.

“There was a lot of opinions voiced in that,” MacMahon said. “… One of the opinions – I don’t know if it was a veto, I don’t know how heavily this opinion weighed in – but one of the opinions that was involved here was Patrick Dumont’s. Patrick Dumont went from blind faith in Nico to now weighing in on whether a star can come back from injury.”

While MacMahon didn’t say it outright, his implication was that Davis rushed back from an injury last season in an effort to quell the negative PR surrounding Harrison and that Dumont didn’t want to risk having that happen again.

“My understanding is that there were people with the Mavericks’ medical staff that were saying, ‘We cannot rush this guy back,’ that Dumont certainly agreed with that, and that ultimately – I was told – by the end, everybody was on the same page. You know, OK,” MacMahon said with an eye-roll. “Ultimately they decided to hold off at least another couple of days. But the fact that Patrick Dumont is involved in that sort of decision making is a major, major development.”

The ongoing absence of point guard Kyrie Irving, who is recovering from an ACL tear, has been one major reason for the Mavericks’ struggles so far this season. But the front office knew heading into the offseason that Irving would miss a significant chunk of the season, and its major summer addition meant to fill that point guard void – veteran free agent D’Angelo Russell – wasn’t even in the starting lineup to open this season. Instead, Flagg – the NBA’s youngest player – was asked to take on a primary ball-handling role that was new to him.

According to Stein, if Dumont does make an in-season move to replace Harrison, the motivation would be two-fold. In addition to ensuring that the executive responsible for the Doncic trade isn’t the one continuing to make crucial personnel decisions, the goal would also be to recapture some positive vibes and try to win back fans that were alienated by that shocking deal.

Injury Notes: Reaves, Ball, Bridges, AD, Gafford, Giddey, Nesmith

November 9th, 2025 at 5:32pm CST by Rory Maher

After missing the past three games with a right groin strain, Lakers guard Austin Reaves has been upgraded to questionable for Monday’s contest in Charlotte, tweets Law Murray of The Athletic.

Reaves had been on a tear to open 2025/26 prior to the injury, averaging 31.1 points, 9.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals on .489/.344/.903 shooting in seven games (37.9 MPG). He’s widely expected to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026 — he holds a $14.9MM player option for next season he’s virtually certain to decline.

For the Hornets, star point guard LaMelo Ball will miss his fourth straight contest with a right ankle impingement, while forward Miles Bridges is questionable due to back spasms, per the team (Twitter link).

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Mavericks big men Anthony Davis (left calf strain) and Daniel Gafford (right ankle sprain) are both questionable for Monday’s game against Milwaukee, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays (via Twitter). Davis, a 10-time All-Star, has missed the past five games for the Mavs. Gafford, meanwhile, aggravated his right ankle sprain — an injury he initially sustained on the first day of training camp — during Friday’s loss to Memphis, but was able to play 19 minutes in Saturday’s victory at Washington.
Fifth-year guard Josh Giddey is off to a strong start for the Bulls, averaging 21.4 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 9.3 APG and 1.0 SPG on .463/.385/.755 shooting in nine games (34.1 MPG). However, he sprained his right ankle on Saturday when he was crossed over by Cavs forward De’Andre Hunter (YouTube link), and has been listed as questionable for Monday’s game vs. San Antonio, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Pacers will be without nine players on Sunday at Golden State, the team announced (via Twitter). The latest additions to the injury report are starting forwards Aaron Nesmith (right forearm contusion) and Pascal Siakam, who is resting on the second night of a back-to-back — Indiana lost in Denver on Saturday. The Pacers have two players (Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Cody Martin) on 10-day hardship contracts as a result of the team’s surplus of injuries.

Mavs Notes: Harrison, AD, Gafford, Dirk, Cuban, Cisse, More

November 8th, 2025 at 2:15pm CST by Rory Maher

At 2-7, the Mavericks are in last place in the Western Conference, having lost at home to the 1-8 Wizards and the 2-6 Pelicans, who were on the second end of a back-to-back (and without Zion Williamson). They nearly suffered another home defeat to the 1-7 Pacers.

Dallas currently has the worst offensive rating in the NBA by a significant margin.

The disastrous start has people around the league questioning whether head of basketball operations Nico Harrison could be fired sooner rather than later, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Howdy Partners podcast with Michael C. Wright (YouTube link).

“A legitimate question right now is: Is Nico Harrison’s job in serious jeopardy? That is an absolutely legitimate question,” MacMahon said (hat tip to RealGM). “It’s the question obviously Mavericks fans have been hoping would be answered with an affirmative since early February.

“I don’t have a firm answer for you right now — that’s as much as I can tell you. But it is absolutely a legitimate question. When you talk to people about the Mavericks around the league, it is the first question that people are asking.

“(Harrison) stuck his neck out by making the most unpopular trade in NBA history.”

As MacMahon pointed out, Harrison has come under heavy scrutiny since he shockingly decided to trade franchise player Luka Doncic to the Lakers for a package headlined by Anthony Davis.

With an ill-fitting, injury-plagued roster and Doncic thriving in Los Angeles, Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News argues it’s time for governor Patrick Dumont to listen to the fans who have been chanting for Harrison’s dismissal ever since the deal was completed.

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Star big man Davis has been upgraded to questionable for Saturday’s matchup against Washington after missing the past four contests with a left calf strain, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays. “He seems in good spirits, and I think he’s doing fine health-wise,” head coach Jason Kidd said Friday. “So we’ll see. But I don’t know about (Saturday).” MacMahon hears Davis has been targeting tonight’s contest for his return to action (Twitter link). Center Daniel Gafford is also questionable after aggravating his right ankle sprain in Friday’s loss in Memphis.
Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, now an analyst for Amazon Prime, didn’t mince words about the team’s poor start on Friday, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. “I feel bad for my Mavs fans,” Nowitzki said. “This has been a disastrous start. Obviously, there’s a hole at the point guard and play-making position…at shot creating, at shot making. They can’t shoot, they can’t make plays…nobody can make shots. It’s been tough to watch.”
Longtime majority stakeholder and current minority owner Mark Cuban also weighed in on the team’s struggles during a radio appearance on The Stephen A. Smith Show, according to Townsend. “You know, I’m not thrilled with the composition of the team,” Cuban said. “I think we’re imbalanced. We don’t have enough depth at point guard. We don’t have somebody who’s a creator that gets other people shots or enough of that. And so I didn’t think we were going to crush it and start off 8-0, but I didn’t expect 2-6 (as of Friday).”
Rookie center Moussa Cisse, who is on a two-way contract, provided a spark off the bench on Friday amid what was an otherwise dispiriting loss at Memphis, Afseth writes for Dallas Hoops Journal. The 23-year-old big man finished with career highs of 10 points (on 4-of-5 shooting) and eight rebounds in 14 minutes — the team was plus-18 during his time on the court in the 14-point loss. “He plays hard — that’s how he plays,” Kidd said. “He’s out there to prove that he belongs. He’s hungry, and that’s what stands out when you watch him play. He plays one way — he plays hard and he plays fast.”
Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal and Townsend of The Dallas Morning News pass along several more quotes from Friday’s loss to the Grizzlies, who entered the night on a four-game losing streak (Memphis is now 4-6).

Southwest Notes: Davis, Morant, W. Green, Edey, Bassey

November 7th, 2025 at 1:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Davis‘ early-season injury is bringing back memories of the events that led to last season’s Luka Doncic trade, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic. Like Doncic, Davis reported to training camp weighing more than usual with a plan to work himself back into shape once the season began. The big man weighed in at 268 pounds for the start of camp, about 15 pounds heavier than last season.

Davis was productive in his first four games, although Clark states that some rival scouts and coaches said he didn’t look as mobile as he used to be. He was forced out of an October 29 game with a left calf strain, which is the same injury that hampered Doncic last season and eventually led to his departure. Davis hasn’t played since then and is listed as doubtful for tonight’s NBA Cup contest against Memphis.

The Mavericks were reluctant to make an investment in Doncic because of concerns about his physical condition, and Clark notes that they’ll soon be facing a similar decision with Davis. He’s owed $58.5MM for 2026/27 and has a $62.8MM player option for the following season. He’ll become eligible for a contract extension next summer and can earn up to $218.5MM by picking up his option and extending for three more years. He’s already 32 with a lengthy injury history, so general manager Nico Harrison will have to determine if he’s more deserving of a long-term deal than Doncic was.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Last week’s blowout between Ja Morant and the Grizzlies‘ coaching staff hasn’t affected his relationship with teammate Jaren Jackson Jr., sources tell Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. They remain united in their determination to turn the season around, and general manager Zach Kleiman hasn’t lost confidence in his two stars. Siegel states that there’s no indication that Kleiman has thought about trading Morant, and Morant hasn’t expressed a desire to be dealt. Siegel also hears that Morant received support from several teammates after clashing with coach Tuomas Iisalo over his unorthodox substitution patterns.
An 0-6 start increased speculation about Willie Green’s job security, and the Pelicans‘ front office had “serious internal conversations” about making a change, Siegel adds in the same piece. Controversial decisions may lead to Green’s demise, Siegel states, citing the choice of giving playing time to rookie point guard Jeremiah Fears ahead of Jordan Poole. Sources tell Siegel that the move caused “visible frustration” for Poole and “did not sit right” with some of his teammates. There was also consternation about starting DeAndre Jordan ahead of Yves Missi, who made the All-Rookie team last year, and lead executive Joe Dumars was unhappy early in the season that Derik Queen wasn’t getting enough minutes.
The Grizzlies announced (via Twitter) that they’ve assigned Zach Edey and GG Jackson II to practice with their G League affiliate. Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com notes that Edey has entered the front end of his projected “return-to-play” window following ankle surgery (Twitter link). Wallace adds that Charles Bassey is no longer with the team after his 10-day hardship contract expired on Wednesday.

Injury Notes: Mavs Bigs, Curry, Reaves, Coulibaly, Nets

November 6th, 2025 at 11:02pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Mavericks have been shorthanded in the frontcourt as of late, and that will likely continue for at least another game. According to Christian Clark of The Athletic (Twitter link), Anthony Davis is listed by the team as doubtful for Friday’s matchup against the Grizzlies, while Dereck Lively II will remain out for a sixth straight game.

Davis has missed the Mavs’ past three games after exiting the October 29 matchup against the Pacers in the first quarter. Prior to that, he was averaging 25.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per night, though Dallas was off to a slow start, with a 1-3 record in the full games he played.

Lively has only played three games this season and averaged 5.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. He’s averaging a career-low 17.0 minutes per contest in the early going, despite starting all three games.

The Mavs are currently tied for the worst record in the Western Conference at 2-6.

We have more news on injuries around the league:

Stephen Curry will miss the Warriors‘ NBA Cup opener on Friday against the Nuggets due to an illness sustained on the team’s recent road trip, reports Anthony Slater for ESPN. Slater writes that Curry began feeling symptomatic heading into the team’s matchup with the Suns on Tuesday, and admitted post-game that he felt drained in the second half. Curry will not travel with the team, but instead will stay in the Bay Area and prepare for Sunday’s game against the Pacers. Draymond Green, who has a rib contusion, is listed as probable, while Jimmy Butler is questionable due to a lower back strain. Kerr said that both players are hopeful to suit up against Denver after sitting out Wednesday in Sacramento.
Lakers‘ coach JJ Redick says that Austin Reaves is “TBD” for the team’s next game on Saturday against the Hawks, reports Dave McMenamin (via Twitter). The club is being cautious as Reaves looks to return from a groin injury. McMenamin notes that Reaves tested the injury prior to Wednesday’s contest with the Spurs, but the medical staff ultimately decided to keep him sidelined.
Wizards‘ third-year wing Bilal Coulibaly is listed as out for Friday’s game against the Cavs, notes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Coulibaly, who missed the team’s first four games while recovering from thumb surgery, exited the contest on Wednesday with lower left leg tightness. Robbins adds that Khris Middleton is available to play after missing the previous two games.
The Nets will be missing Cam Thomas against the Pistons on Friday after he suffered a left hamstring injury, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter link). Rookies Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf are also out while on assignment with the team’s G League affiliate, though Drake Powell has been upgraded to questionable from his ankle injury. Terance Mann, who is dealing with left shoulder soreness, is probable to play.

Mavs Notes: Thompson, Flagg, Davis, Lively, Gafford

November 6th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Maher

He says it “isn’t a permanent thing,” but Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd moved struggling wing Klay Thompson to the bench ahead of Wednesday’s game against New Orleans, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

“I don’t mind,” Thompson said of not starting. “I’m going to play. I’m gonna do great things. That’s coming. I know it is.”

As Townsend observes, Thompson had started every game with Dallas prior to Wednesday. However, he’s off to a very slow start to the season, and Kidd decided to shake things up with the team’s offense struggling to manufacture points.

Thompson, 35, is confident he’ll turn things around soon — he finished with 11 points (on 4-of-7 shooting), four rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes in the two-point loss to the Pelicans.

“I’m feeling like those first five games were hard for me to get my wind and get my legs under me,” he said, per Townsend. “Now I’m finally feeling like myself again. And you just know as a shooter, when that ball is just effortlessly flicking off your wrist. You know big things are coming.”

Here’s more on the Mavs, who are now 2-6:

No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg was announced as a forward for the first time on Wednesday with D’Angelo Russell replacing Thompson in the starting lineup, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Flagg finished with 20 points (on 8-of-19 shooting), nine rebounds, three steals and two blocks in 35 minutes, but missed a potential game-tying shot in the closing seconds, Koreen notes. “For me it’s the most I’ve lost since, I think, ever,” The 18-year-old said after the game.
Kidd provided updates on injured big men Anthony Davis (left calf strain) and Dereck Lively (right knee sprain) on Wednesday, as Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal relays (Twitter video link). According to Kidd, Davis is “feeling better” and is considered day-to-day, while the team is hopeful that Lively, who is doing on-court work, might be able to return next week. Davis has missed three straight games; Lively has missed five.
Center Daniel Gafford had a solid outing on Wednesday, recording 15 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocks. However, Kidd indicated before the game (Twitter link via Afseth) that the former second-round pick is still on a minutes restriction — Gafford wound up playing just under 25 minutes.

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