Anthony Davis, Mavericks
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Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks warms up before their game against the Sacramento Kings.
The outlook on Anthony Davis’ season in Dallas shifted Tuesday night again—this time in a more dramatic fashion.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Dallas Mavericks star will not require surgery on his injured left hand after receiving a second opinion from specialist Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles and will instead be re-evaluated in six weeks.
“Update: Dallas’ Anthony Davis will not require surgery on his injured hand after a second opinion with specialist Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles on Tuesday and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, league sources tell ESPN,” Charania wrote.
The update reopens the possibility that Davis could return before the end of the regular season and reshapes both Dallas’ short-term planning and how the league views his availability.
It does not, however, end the trade conversation.
Charania previously reported that Dallas has continued to entertain trade talks surrounding the 10-time All-Star despite the injury.
“The Mavericks are having renewed Davis trade talks with multiple interested teams,” Charania reported earlier. “If moved to a playoff contender, the return timeline could allow Davis to return during the postseason while establishing himself long-term elsewhere.”
Both realities now coexist: Davis may return — and he may still be moved.
What Shams’ Update Means for the Mavericks
Just days earlier, Charania had reported that Davis would miss several months and that his season in Dallas was effectively over.
The new timeline changes that assumption.
A six-week re-evaluation window places Davis’ next medical checkpoint in early March. If his rehab progresses well, a return later in the month is plausible.
For a Mavericks team sitting at 15-25 and 12th in the Western Conference, that matters.
It means Dallas can afford patience.
It means the front office does not have to rush a decision.
And it means the trade deadline calculus becomes more strategic than reactive.
How Anthony Davis Was Injured
Davis injured his left hand late in Dallas’ loss to Utah while defending Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen on a drive.
Despite the injury, he finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and one block in 35 minutes.
Since arriving in Dallas as the centerpiece of the controversial February 2025 trade that sent Luka Dončić out of the franchise, Davis has struggled with availability.
He has appeared in just 29 regular-season games for the Mavericks and only 20 this season.
When he has played, he has been productive, averaging 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 blocks. Dallas is 10-10 with him in the lineup and 5-15 without him.
Anthony Davis’ Injury Saga Dictating Trade Market
Davis’ injury initially complicated his market.
A player facing surgery and a multi-month absence is difficult to value.
A player who might return in March is easier.
That distinction helps explain why Dallas is willing to keep listening.
Davis remains one of the most accomplished players of his generation, with four first-team All-NBA selections, an NBA championship and a place on the league’s 75th Anniversary Team.
But he also turns 33 in March, carries a maximum-salary contract worth $54.1 million this season, has a $62 million player option for 2027-28 and has a lengthy injury history.
Those realities mean any trade involves both upside and risk.
Toronto, Atlanta and Golden State had varying levels of interest in Davis, per multiple reports.
Mavericks’ Broader Direction
The Mavericks are no longer operating as a pure win-now team.
They have pivoted toward a longer-term outlook built around Rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg and future flexibility.
That makes Davis both valuable and movable — depending on what the market offers.
What Comes Next
Davis will continue rehab and be re-evaluated in six weeks.
That timeline places clarity around early March.
By then, Dallas will know whether it is pushing toward a late playoff run, pivoting further toward development, or if Davis will be returning to play elsewhere.
Charania’s reporting removes finality from the situation.
Anthony Davis’ season is no longer defined by inevitability.
It is defined by options.
And for the Mavericks, that may be the most important update of all.