Since being the first overall pick in 2012, Anthony Davis has lived up to all of the hype around him. Davis is a 10-time All-Star and an elite player both offensively and defensively. When the Dallas Mavericks traded for Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers in the Luka Doncic trade, they knew the player they were getting, as Nico Harrison coveted his skill set.
The 2025-26 season will be Davis's 14th NBA season, and his first full season with the Mavericks. At 32 years old, Davis is eager to win another championship and show the city of Dallas the player that he truly is. Last season's injury-plagued stretch from Davis was not a true reflection of how dominant he can be at his best, and he'll be ready to prove the doubters who never gave him a fair shot with the Mavericks wrong.
Despite all the struggles last season, the Mavericks have new life with 2025 first overall draft pick Cooper Flagg on the team now. However, as much as the fans and team are excited about Flagg and his journey with the Mavericks, Davis will have an even more important role than Flagg.
Anthony Davis can't afford a mediocre 2025-26 season
While all the hype around the Mavericks this upcoming 2025-26 season will be about Flagg, it's important that everybody is on board with the team. In particular, Davis.
Davis will have a lot of pressure on him to make the 2025-26 season the biggest year of his career. With Flagg on the roster, Davis can be a mentor for Flagg, with him being 18 years old. At Davis' age, he can be a factor in helping develop Flagg, with both having solid size and outstanding IQ. Davis' experience at an elite level can be a boost for Flagg to get early advice at a young age from a future Hall of Famer.
When Davis is on the court and healthy, he's a top player in the NBA who's incredibly difficult to stop. Davis has averaged over 24 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks per game for his career. In the nine games he played in after being traded, Davis produced quality scoring with 20 points per game, even while having to adjust to a new team.
However, injuries are always what is talked about with Davis. Nine games played after being traded to the Mavericks in February might not have been enough to convince Mavs fans that he's the real deal. A good number of fans wish that Doncic were still on the team, and voiced displeasure at general manager Nico Harrison for making the trade at any chance they could.
That is where Davis can take off and turn the fans in his direction with a solid season. If Davis lives up to his days in Los Angeles and New Orleans, he can be a dynamic player in Dallas. Davis produced when he scored 67 points in the two Play-In Tournament games for the Mavericks. In one of the games, Dallas' final game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Davis scored 40 points.
Kyrie Irving also plays a factor in Davis producing the best season of his career. Irving will miss a good part of the season as he is recovering from a torn ACL. Davis will be the main guy on the offense with Irving out of the starting lineup due to his scoring abilities. Although D'Angelo Russell was an offseason addition, Irving is the better player, and Russell's 12.9 points per game last season was quietly the lowest of his career.
If Davis has the best season of his career, it can make the Doncic trade look not as bad for the Mavericks. Davis has the tools to be the Mavericks' go-to guy this season, but he will need to be healthy.