NBA Rumors: There's growing speculation that Anthony Davis may have played his last game in a Dallas Mavericks uniform.
In his debut for the Dallas Mavericks, Anthony Davis was beyond impressive. In less than three quarters of action, AD had put up 26 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists. Unfortunately, that didn't last long as he would leave the game late in the third quarter due to a groin injury. Still sidelined from that injury, there may be a chance he doesn't suit up for the Mavericks ever again.
After Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL early this week, which will likely sideline him until midseason next year at best, the Mavs' entire immediate future is now in jeopardy. So much so that there's been recent speculation going around the league that there may be a chance that AD doesn't ever play another game for the Mavs.
First, that's one the basis that there's really no reason for him to rush back from injury as Dallas' playoff hopes are probably all but doomed without Kyrie. Second, assuming Kyrie is going to miss a good portion of next season, do the Mavs want to essentially waste next season and hope that this Kyrie-AD duo can catch fire during the 2026-27 season? That may not make much sense either.
Why trading Anthony Davis makes the most sense for the Dallas Mavericks
As odd as it may sound, the whispers surrounding this possibility are not that crazy. With the hand that the Mavs have been dealt (or chose for themselves), trading AD may end up being what's best for the franchise at this point. If there's not a natural pathway toward the team significantly upgrading the roster during the offseason, there's not much sense in running back this roster (without Kyrie) next season.
For as good as Klay Thompson has been throughout his career, he's not at a point where he can be a worthy No. 2 next to AD. Even then, it's already been proven that AD can't be a No. 1 to carry a team. With one injury to Kyrie, the pathway toward championship relevancy for the Mavs has completely gone out the window.
Trading AD would give the Mavs an opportunity to reload their asset chest while also pivoting toward the future. After all, isn't that what the Luka trade was all about - pivoting in a way that didn't singlehandedly revolve around Luka?
There's a very real chance that AD is sidelined for the remainder of the season to avoid further injury, and the two sides enter the offseason with a heart-to-heart conversation about what's best for the future of both sides. If that does end up happening, it's hard to imagine that both the Mavs and AD would not agree that a trade may make the most sense at this point.