Anthony Davis

Mavs Notes: Davis, Lineups, Arena Site, Casson, Preseason

July 29th, 2025 at 7:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Injuries prevented the Mavericks from taking a long look at double-big lineups last season. They plan to utilize their size next season in the hopes of making a deep playoff run, Christian Clark of The Athletic writes.

Clark notes that Anthony Davis logged only 95 minutes with either Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford in the middle. Davis is expected to play the bulk of his minutes at power forward next season.

“That’s something we have a huge advantage (with) going forward: our size,” Mavericks assistant coach Josh Broghame said. “The talent with that size, that’s something we put on a premium here, and it’s been really, really good for us so far.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

In the same story, Clark projects the opening night lineup, with Davis and Lively joined by top pick Cooper Flagg in the frontcourt and D’Angelo Russell and Klay Thompson starting in the backcourt. P.J. Washington, Gafford, Caleb Martin, Naji Marshall and Dante Exum or Max Christie are projected to fill out the rotation.
Mavericks CEO Rick Welts said that multiple sites for a new arena are being considered and the process is in the early stages. “We have been presented several sites by the city and we are doing a deeper dive on two of them currently to see how viable they are,” he told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “Neither may work and we may refocus on others.” Welts has set a goal of choosing a site by the end of the year or early next year. “The process is going to go on, I would guess, for months. But, no, we’re not like on the 10-yard line,” he added.
Ethan Casson has been named president of business operations for the franchise, Townsend reports in a separate story. Casson announced last month he would step down after nine years as the Timberwolves’ CEO after the sale of the franchise was finalized. He will report to Welts once his new job officially begins on Aug. 11.
The Mavs will play an Oct. 6 preseason game against the Thunder in Fort Worth, according to Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal, as well as a neutral site preseason contest in Las Vegas against the Lakers on Oct. 15. The remainder of the preseason slate has yet to be revealed.

Mavs’ Anthony Davis Undergoes Procedure On Eye

July 8th, 2025 at 1:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks star Anthony Davis has undergone a procedure to repair a detached retina, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). The expectation is that he’ll be fully recovered for training camp, Charania adds.

While it’s unclear exactly when the injury first occurred, Charania notes that Davis played through “multiple hits to the face” last season.

Most notably, the big man visited an ophthalmologist last November after getting poked in the left eye — reporting at the time indicated he was experiencing swelling and had difficulty keeping the eye open. That injury, which occurred when Davis was a Laker, was referred to last fall as a corneal abrasion and didn’t cost him any games.

Davis, who was traded from Los Angeles to Dallas in the controversial Luka Doncic blockbuster in February, was only able to make nine appearances during his first half-season as a Maverick due to an adductor injury.

The 32-year-old averaged 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.2 blocks in just 29.6 minutes per night in those nine outings, generating excitement about what he might be able to do after spending the offseason getting fully healthy and acclimating to his new team.

Mavs Notes: Frontcourt, Washington, Flagg, Free Agency, Sweeney, Lottery Luck

June 26th, 2025 at 6:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Mavericks frontcourt might seem a little crowded with Dereck Lively, Anthony Davis, P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford — who just agreed to an extension — joined by top pick Cooper Flagg.

However, general manager Nico Harrison indicated he’s planning to have all of them sharing minutes, rather than moving one of the veterans. He also envisions Washington, the incumbent starting small forward, playing together with Flagg at times. Harrison even brought up the subject with Washington.

“I said, ‘Hey, P.J., you think you guys can play together?’ ” Harrison recalled, per Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “He’s like, ‘Oh yeah, we can play together.’ So I don’t see any jealousy. I think guys are excited to play with him and as he’s ready, he’s gonna get more and more opportunities.”

By winning the draft lottery, Harrison believes the team will be contenders for years to come.

“I think it’s win now. It’s also win in the future,” Harrison said. “Eventually it’s going to be Cooper’s team. We don’t know when that transition will happen. So I think it’s win now and then set yourself up to win in the future as well.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Harrison envisions Flagg as making an impact in a variety of ways, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal relays. “He’s a basketball player. He can handle the ball, he can shoot, he can make plays for people. He’s a good passer,” Harrison said. “He’s going to be on the floor. The big thing is: who can he defend? And he’s a great defender.”
Harrison said the Mavs will look in free agency to fill the temporary void left by Kyrie Irving‘s ACL injury but it won’t necessarily be a traditional point guard. “I’m not really worried about someone to run the offense. I think we’ve got enough guys that can handle the ball and play multiple positions — just someone to get us organized,” Harrison said, per Afseth, adding, “A lot of players want to come play in Dallas.”
Harrison became extremely unpopular with fans after trading Luka Doncic but the franchise’s lottery luck seems to have to toned down the vitriol, he notes. “I’ve seen the fans react since we got the No. 1 pick. It feels like they’re feeling really good and optimistic about the future,” he said, according to Afseth. “I’m hoping so. I’m assuming so — a little bit maybe.”
Harrison emphasized during his press conference that Jason Kidd was staying put as head coach, dousing speculation that Kidd could wind up with the Knicks. Sean Sweeney‘s agent, Andy Miller, told Townsend (Twitter link) that Dallas did want to keep Sweeney but that the Spurs offered the highly regarded assistant a “bigger role.” “Sean’s contract was expiring,” Miller said. “Dallas made a yeoman’s effort to obviously retain him. They wanted to keep him. I think for Sean this is an opportunity to have a bigger role, a bigger say, more input, with an upward trajectory…”
A team source told ESPN’s Baxter Holmes that the organization was stunned when it drew the top combination in the lottery last month. “We never even considered that the impossible could happen on May 12,” the source said. “I’m not sure there has ever been a more abrupt reversal of fortune.”

Mavericks Notes: Two Timelines, Offseason, Point Guards

May 29th, 2025 at 8:50pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Armed with the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft as well as two 2025 All-Stars on the wrong side of 30, the Mavericks are gearing up for a “two-timeline” approach, much like the Warriors strived to do when they had an opportunity to complement aging incumbent stars with lottery picks in 2020 and ’21, writes Christian Clark of The Athletic.

Duke forward Cooper Flagg, the top prospect among the 2025 draft class, could slot in as the rare one-and-done rookie who helps his team win in the present, Clark opines. The big question about Dallas’ contender status, however, stems from just how healthy 32-year-old Anthony Davis and 33-year-old Kyrie Irving will be during the next few years they’re under contract.

There’s more out of Dallas:

After drafting Flagg, the Mavericks will have a variety of items to address during the 2025 offseason, as Keith Smith of Spotrac details in a thorough summer preview. Irving has a player option for next year, while guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Dante Exum are unrestricted free agents. Smith notes that Irving expects to return to the floor around the 2026 All-Star break. Smith projects that he could opt out and agree to a three-year, $120MM deal to remain with the Mavericks. Smith notes that free agents like Chris Paul, Malcolm Brogdon, Tyus Jones and Tre Jones could all get a look from Dallas as possible Irving replacements.
With Irving likely sidelined for much of the 2025/26 season, Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News proposes five veteran players at Irving’s position that the Mavericks could target on the trade market, including Bulls guards Coby White and Lonzo Ball, Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, and more.
In case you missed it, Mavericks assistant coach Sean Sweeney has made the third round of candidates for the Suns’ head coaching vacancy.

Mavs’ Kidd Talks No. 1 Pick, Flagg, Doncic Trade

May 17th, 2025 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show this week (YouTube link), Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd admitted he wasn’t watching Monday’s draft lottery live and said he thought there was a “1” missing when he received text messages telling him that Dallas would be drafting in the top four and then that the team had secured the No. 1 overall pick.

“I just felt we were going to stay around 11, if not go backwards, the way things were going for us this year,” Kidd said (hat tip to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal).

Asked by Patrick whether the Mavs plan to use the No. 1 overall pick to select Duke’s Cooper Flagg, the consensus top prospect in this year’s draft pool, Kidd was hesitant to outright confirm as much or to discuss Flagg directly, explaining that he’s trying “to make sure we don’t get in any trouble.”

When Patrick asked if the NBA would be fine with him commenting on “the kid from Duke,” the Mavs’ coach smiled and replied, “We’re excited about the kid at Duke.”

“I’m just the coach (but) yes, I would say we’re all concentrating on No. 1,” Kidd said. “The draft is deep, but the name you just brought up, I think we’re all focused on.”

If the lottery outcome had been different, Flagg could have ended up as the centerpiece for a rebuilding club like Utah or Washington. Instead, he’ll be joining a team with championship aspirations led by veterans like Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson. Kidd believes it’ll be an ideal situation for the No. 1 pick.

“He’ll be 18. He doesn’t turn 19 until December, and so just understanding he’s young, but he’s very talented, can play both ends,” Kidd said. “Being able to have older players—and when I say that, out of respect, they’re not dinosaurs—but when you look at the age of 30, Ky, AD, guys that are here, Klay could definitely help him with the process of going through a rookie season.

“… I think this is a great situation for him,” Kidd continued. “(Considering) the different guys that we have already on the team, the pressure of living up to No. 1 will be a lot easier with the talent around him. When you talk about the other clubs (he could’ve ended up with), he would have to produce right away at a high, high level. I think this is a great situation for him to grow his game, where the pressure isn’t as high. But we are playing for a championship.”

Kidd also spoke to Patrick about how he learned about – and reacted to – the Luka Doncic trade in February, explaining that when he got that call from general manager Nico Harrison at a hotel in Cleveland, he immediately began considering how the star guard’s departure and the additions of Davis and Max Christie would affect the Mavericks’ game plan.

According to Kidd, the day of the trade was the last time he spoke to Doncic. Having been unexpectedly traded himself as a player, the Mavs’ head coach knew some of what the 26-year-old was going through.

“I don’t think he was too happy. From the experience of being traded, maybe being surprised, upset, feelings are high,” Kidd said (hat tip to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops). “But I loved the opportunity of coaching Luka. He’s an incredible person, and we all know his talent is one of the best in the world. … I’ve always said this publicly and privately: I wish Luka the best. He’s one of the best players in the world.”

Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Davis, Castle, Popovich

May 2nd, 2025 at 5:14pm CST by Luke Adams

On paper, a 48-win season for the Grizzlies looks like a relative success on the heels of last season’s injury-plagued 27-win showing. However, the club went just 14-23 over its final 37 games (including the play-in and playoffs) and finds itself at a crossroads entering the offseason, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic, a former Grizzlies executive.

Having spoken to sources around the league, Hollinger says four main themes were brought up as issues in Memphis: Ja Morant‘s lack of dependability on and off the court in recent years; potentially investing too heavily in Desmond Bane as a third option; gradually losing several key role players (such as Dillon Brooks, Steven Adams, De’Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson); and an inability to hit a home run on the trade market.

Regarding that last point, Hollinger notes that the Grizzlies have made an effort to take big swings over the years — they inquired on impact wings like OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Kevin Durant. However, their most significant deal, which saw them give up multiple first-round picks in exchange for Marcus Smart in 2023, didn’t pan out. The club ultimately had to give up another first-round pick to move off Smart’s contract at this year’s trade deadline.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Given the disappointment and anger that Mavericks fans felt over the team’s decision to trade Luka Doncic, the newest impact player in Dallas – Anthony Davis – is under immense pressure as he tries to fill the shoes of a beloved superstar. Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required) believes Davis is well suited to take on that challenge and takes an in-depth look at the path the former No. 1 overall pick took to Dallas. “Some people play this game because they make a lot of money. Some people play this game because they care, which makes them a lot of money. AD is a guy that cares,” agent Rich Paul told The Dallas Morning News earlier this year. “He’s bringing all that growth and maturation with him. I think Dallas is actually getting the best AD.”
After being named this season’s Rookie of the Year, Spurs guard Stephon Castle admitted this week that he doesn’t feel yet like he deserves to be mentioned alongside the franchise’s previous winners of the award (Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and Victor Wembanyama). However, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) relays, Castle also pointed out that the back-to-back Rookie of the Year honors for him and Wembanyama bode well for San Antonio’s outlook going forward. “It speaks highly of our future,” he said. “What we have going on and what we plan on doing.” Castle added that he won’t “shy away” from the target that his Rookie of the Year award puts on his back next season.
Although Gregg Popovich will no longer coach the Spurs, his presence will be felt for years to come, according to columnist Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required), who examines the way that Popovich’s influence has permeated through the organization and the impact he has made on the Spurs’ culture over the last three decades.

Mavs GM Harrison On Doncic Trade, Fan Reaction, More

April 21st, 2025 at 4:14pm CST by Rory Maher

At a press conference on Monday afternoon, Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison discussed the shocking decision to trade Luka Doncic as well as the overwhelmingly negative reaction to it from fans, who have been chanting “fire Nico” since the deal was completed.

“I did know Luka was important to the Mavs’ fan base,” Harrison said, per RealGM. “I didn’t quite know to what level.

“But, really, the way we looked at it is if you’re putting a team on the floor that’s Kyrie [Irving], Klay [Thompson], P.J. [Washington], Anthony Davis and [Dereck] Lively, we felt that’s a championship-caliber team. And we would have been winning at a high level. That would have quieted some of the outrage. So unfortunately we weren’t able to do that, so it just went on and on.”

When asked why he should be able to keep his job, Harrison defended his Mavericks tenure, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.

“Well, one, I think I’ve done a really good job here,” Harrison said. “And I don’t think I can be judged by the injuries this year. You have to judge the totality, from the beginning to end. I think I have a really good working relationship with [governor Patrick Dumont]. I think you add in Rick [Welts], the leadership we have is really elite and you’ll see next year when our team comes back. We’re going to be competing for a championship.”

Here’s more from Harrison’s press conference:

Harrison was pressed on why the Mavericks couldn’t get more assets from the Lakers for Doncic. “I think the biggest thing is if you don’t value AD as an All-NBA player and All-Defensive player, then you’re not going to like the trade,” Harrison said, according to Curtis (Twitter link).
The Mavs’ head of basketball operations said Dumont didn’t pressure him to make the deal, as Curtis relays (via Twitter). “Not at all. Patrick reminds me of the leadership that I had at Nike and a really good leader doesn’t tell the people that work for him what to do. It’s a collective, well thought out process to make a big move like that. Also, unfortunately, I’m super stubborn so someone telling me to do something doesn’t work too well for me.”
Despite the intense backlash, Harrison claims his relationship with Dumont has actually been “strengthened” in the two-plus months since the trade was made, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Harrison said Davis won’t need surgery this offseason and he doesn’t believe Lively will either, per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Both players missed significant time with injuries, but were able to return before the team was eliminated in the play-in tournament.
Regarding Kyrie Irving‘s $43.96MM player option for 2025/26, Harrison said he wasn’t sure if it would be exercised, but he’s confident the 33-year-old will be in a Mavericks uniform next season. “It’s too early to tell what Kyrie is going to do, but what I do feel is he’s going to be a Maverick next year,” Harrison said (Twitter link via Curtis).

Mavs Notes: Thompson, Davis, Lively, Offseason

April 19th, 2025 at 12:42pm CST by Luke Adams

After the Mavericks‘ season came to an end as a result of Friday night’s play-in loss in Memphis, Klay Thompson described his first year in Dallas as “tumultuous.” Head coach Jason Kidd took a rosier view, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com relays, referring to 2024/25 as an “incredible season” for his team, which missed out on the playoffs after making the NBA Finals last spring.

“When you look at the injuries that we’ve had (and) the change, for us to even be here playing in (Friday’s play-in) game, it’s incredible,” Kidd said. “It just shows the character of that group in that locker room, the fight, being prepared, moving on, learning from our losses and also our wins. So an incredible season with the change and injuries. Some would say we shouldn’t even be here, so give those guys in that locker room a lot of credit.”

While Kidd was eager to praise his players for the way they fought through the season, the fact that so much fight was required at all is a reflection of why Thompson viewed it as “tumultuous.” The second half was defined by a series of injuries to key players and the fallout of the controversial Luka Doncic trade.

When Thompson signed with the Mavericks as a free agent last summer, he was hoping to be the missing piece for a club that was three wins away from a championship in 2024. Instead, he’ll be watching his former team (Golden State) from home during the first round of the playoffs after averaging just 14.0 points per game in his first season as a Maverick, his lowest scoring mark since his rookie year.

“Don’t do this to me. Don’t do that to me. Don’t do that,” Thompson said with a laugh when asked if he’d still join the Mavs if he could do his 2024 free agency over. “That’s kind of a ridiculous question. I don’t own a time machine, and I don’t believe in going back, looking back. If I did that my whole career, I would not be where I’m at and I wouldn’t have been able to persevere through two really hard injuries.

“So I’m here in Dallas, and I enjoyed my time and I’m looking forward to the future.”

Here’s more on the Mavs as their offseason gets underway:

Anthony Davis, who scored 40 points in Friday’s loss, said after the game that he appreciated the way that Mavericks fans treated him after his midseason arrival, even though he knows many of those fans disliked the trade the team made to acquire him. “Obviously, it’s a lot of emotions. I know it’s not directed towards me,” Davis said, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. “The city loved the guy (Doncic). Get rid of a guy. A new guy comes in, yet they want to embrace you and they’re thankful for you, it still stings. I’m just thankful and appreciative of the city of Dallas and the fans for welcoming me and Max (Christie) to the new situation.”
Mavericks center Dereck Lively was on a minutes restriction for both of the team’s play-in games this week, tweets NBA insider Marc Stein. Lively, who was out from mid-January to early April with a foot injury, played 18 minutes on Wednesday vs. Sacramento and 20 minutes on Friday vs. Memphis.
According to Stein (Twitter link), Lively’s foot injury was “at the center of some significant tensions” among some of the new members of the Mavs’ medical and performance team at the practice facility in February. President of basketball operations Nico Harrison defended the medical team during this week’s media session when asked how Lively was on the verge of returning to action in January before being diagnosed with a stress fracture. “It actually goes to show the strength of our medical team, because he was cleared to play, but his signs and symptoms—our medical team knew it was something more,” Harrison said. “And so that’s why they went and tested him again and saw the CT scan. They actually avoided a potential catastrophic injury.”
Bobby Marks of ESPN has shared his preview of the Mavericks’ offseason in a YouTube video and in an ESPN.com Insider-only article. Marks explores what a new contract for injured guard Kyrie Irving might look like and identifies forward P.J. Washington as another key extension candidate to watch.

Ja Morant Available For Friday’s Play-In Game

April 18th, 2025 at 8:15pm CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies will have their star point guard available on Friday vs. Dallas as they look to clinch the eighth and final playoff seed in the West. After testing out his injured ankle during pregame warmups, Ja Morant will be in Memphis’ starting lineup, tweets Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Morant turned his right ankle in the third quarter of Tuesday’s loss to Golden State when he came down on Buddy Hield‘s foot. Although he looked hobbled for the rest of the night, the 25-year-old was able to finish the game and vowed to suit up on Friday.

However, after being diagnosed with a right ankle sprain, Morant didn’t practice on Thursday and was listed as questionable for Friday’s do-or-die game, with Grizzlies interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo referring to him as a game-time decision, per Cole.

Shams Charania of ESPN said during an appearance on NBA Today (Twitter video link) that Morant underwent an MRI on the injury, and while it showed no structural damage, the sprain is considered “severe.” According to Charania, the Grizzlies guard received an injection on Thursday to address swelling and pain in the ankle and got another injection on Friday (Twitter link).

After missing most of the 2023/24 season with a shoulder injury, Morant was limited to 50 appearances in ’24/25, having dealt with a series of injuries, including some recurring issues in his surgically repaired shoulder. He was still effective when he did suit up, averaging 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in 30.4 minutes per contest.

As expected, both Anthony Davis (adductor strain) and Brandon Williams (oblique strain) will be available on Friday for the Mavericks, according to the team (Twitter link). Both players had been listed as probable.

The winner of Friday’s Southwest Division showdown will face Oklahoma City in the first round of the playoffs, while the losing team will end up in the draft lottery.

Mavericks Notes: Williams, Davis, Gafford, New Arena, Silver

April 18th, 2025 at 2:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks guard Brandon Williams suffered a left oblique strain on Sunday, but he wasn’t going to let that stand in the way of his first postseason opportunity, writes Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (subscription required). After sending a text to head coach Jason Kidd promising that he was fine to play, Williams delivered 17 points and five assists in 18 minutes off the bench Wednesday as Dallas extended its season with a win at Sacramento.

“Ultimately, I was ready,” Williams said. “The medical staff, training staff and everybody that played a good part. And then my teammates lifted me up, hooking me up. So, it was just up to me to come out here and just play my all.”

Williams, who spent most of the season on a two-way contract, helped Dallas survive a manpower shortage caused by injuries and hard-cap spending restrictions. He averaged 8.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the regular season and was rewarded with a two-year standard contract on April 10. He has some security for the first time in his NBA career and looks ready to be a valuable contributor if Dallas can reach the playoffs by winning at Memphis tonight.

“Oh, my goodness! B-Will? I can’t say enough good things about him,” Klay Thompson said. “To go from being a two-way player to making an impact in the play-in — it’s a testament to his hard work and his character. He’s got a really bright future in this league.”

There’s more on the Mavericks:

Players are expecting a tough matchup with the Grizzlies, whether or not Memphis has Ja Morant, who suffered an ankle injury on Tuesday, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The Mavs lost to the Grizzlies by 35 points in the regular season finale as both teams rested their best players. “I’ve been in a playoff series with them before,” Anthony Davis said. “Not sure about the update on Ja, but they still play well without Ja as well. Nothing changes. (Desmond) Bane got in a good rhythm (Tuesday). Big (Zach) Edey. He’s a big body. Jaren Jackson. All-Star. Defensive Player of the Year candidate, so it’s going to be a battle. We gotta come in locked in and prepared.”
It has been a tumultuous season in Dallas coming off last year’s run to the NBA Finals, but Daniel Gafford sidestepped a question on whether it would be considered a failure if the Mavericks don’t win at Memphis, Curtis tweets. “We’re gonna save that question for whenever it ends,” Gafford said, “because we don’t plan on losing tonight.”
The Mavericks appear to be nearing the end of their long-time relationship with the NHL’s Dallas Stars as tenants of American Airlines Center and Reunion Arena, according to Lia Assimakopolous of The Dallas Morning News. At a press conference with week with selected media members, CEO Rick Welts talked about moving into a new arena when the current lease expires in 2031. “At least for this point, we think the best option for the Mavericks right now and for the experience of going to Mavericks games would be to build a basketball-first facility,” Welts said.
Appearing Wednesday on the Pat McAfee Show (Twitter video link), commissioner Adam Silver tried to quash a persistent rumor that the Mavericks’ owners are conspiring to move the team to Las Vegas.

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