Mar 16, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis smiles during during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
The Dallas Mavericks are in one of the more dire situations in the NBA. And really, recent league history.
Having offloaded longtime superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, things have gone from bad to worse, again and again.
Anthony Davis suffered an injury in his first-ever game as a Maverick, and has been out since. Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending ACL tear in early March. And the rest of the team’s core remains injured, too, leading many to believe that team could soon begin to forfeit games.
The only real solace remaining for the organizations season likely lies in its hopes a the 2025 NBA Draft, where its currently slated to have the thirteenth-best odds.
On Monday, though, the Mavericks assigned Davis to the Texas Legends of the G League, hinting towards a potential return to the NBA court for the star.
While getting Davis back in the lineup is certainly a good thing, it could throw a wrench in the team’s future draft plans.
Despite Dallas barely being able to roll out a product, Davis is more than capable of fueling a team to wins with 25 points a night and some of the best interior defense in the league. That was apparent in his sole game with Dallas, as he poured on 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks in finishing as a +11 in the Mavericks’ win over Houston.
Should Davis return and find his form quick, the Mavericks could be ousted from the draft lottery. While winning games could be welcome to the organization, there’s an essential 0% chance the team will be able to make a deep Playoffs run this season. So a higher draft pick may be the much-needed consolation prize to send the team into what they hope is a better next season.
The Mavericks next take on the Indiana Pacers at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19.
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