The Dallas Mavericks shocked the world on February 1 just before midnight when they traded Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a first-round pick. Mavericks fans couldn't believe that the team would give up on Doncic out of nowhere, but Davis' first game as a Maverick gave fans life until it didn't.
Davis dominated the Houston Rockets, finishing with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks while shooting 10-18 from the field, but his time on the floor ended after 31 minutes as he suffered a noncontact groin injury in the third quarter. Despite Davis assuring reporters that he was going to be fine and that his injury wasn't serious, he ended up getting diagnosed with an adductor strain on the following day.
Davis' injury recovery has been filled with uncertainty when it comes to updates from Dallas' end, but things seem to be trending in the right direction. It was reported last week that Davis was trending toward making a return to the hardwood this season, and an unexpected update from the Mavericks backed that point up even further.
Davis' G League assignment signals long-awaited Mavericks return
The Mavericks announced on Monday morning that Davis would be assigned to the Texas Legends, and if things go well there, he will almost certainly make a comeback this season. Dallas did the same thing with Caleb Martin earlier this month, and he made his Mavericks debut three days later.
Davis is set to get some five-on-five work in with the Legends to prepare for his return according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, and Dallas will finally get their big man back soon. This season, Davis is averaging 25.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 52.8 percent from the field, and his presence should help the Mavericks climb out of the abysmal losing spell they have been on over the last few weeks.
Some fans didn't expect Davis to make a return this season, as they could risk him getting re-injured, but all signs are pointing to him playing soon. The addition of Davis back into the lineup should almost guarantee the Mavericks a spot in the Play-In Tournament considering how poorly the Phoenix Suns are playing right now, and he could give Dallas enough firepower to escape the play-in and secure a playoff spot.
Dallas doesn't have the weapons to go toe to toe with a team like the Oklahoma City Thunder in a playoff series, but Davis' return back to the floor will give fans a glimpse into what they can expect from him moving forward. Davis remains one of the best two-way players in the NBA, and while fans are still furious over the trade, a few weeks of dominance from Davis could lead to some excitement around the fan base ahead of next season.
The morale of Mavericks fans is way down right now, and while a few wins at the end of the year won't mean much in the long run, it could help win some fans back and show that a Davis-led squad can make some noise in the Western Conference next season.