The Mavericks have finally received a heady dose of good news. Evidently, trade deadline acquisition Anthony Davis is now healthy enough to participate in five-on-five scrimmages with the Legends, their G League affiliates. Even though no timetable has been set for his definitive return to action in the National Basketball Association, his recovery from a lingering adductor strain has clearly progressed to the point where it’s a matter of when. And, who knows? They may yet parlay his availability into a strong regular season finish.
To argue that the Mavericks need Davis would be to understate the obvious. They’ve been in a free fall over the last three weeks, with the forced sidelining of key players leading to a woeful 2-10 slate in their last 12 outings. Once deemed a lock for the playoffs, they have been compelled to fight for the last spot in the play-in tournament. And, in this regard, he cannot but be a boon if they’re keen on salvaging what’s left of their snakebitten drive. Under the circumstances, however, the operative word is “if.”
Indeed, the Mavericks have been so affected by a debilitating rash of injuries that they’ve actually thought of punting the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign. Never mind that their controversial decision to trade away erstwhile foundational piece Luka Dončić for Davis was precisely to enhance their competitiveness in the short term. Their roster crisis is nothing short of unprecedented; at some point in their stretch run, they could well run the risk of forfeiting matches due to a lack of warm bodies.
For all the Mavericks’ plans to take one step back in order to ensure that they can move two steps forward, Davis is committed to suit up as soon as he is cleared for active duty. From his vantage point, there is to be no shutting him down for the next season. If nothing else, he is bent on showing fans of the blue and silver that he can — and will — fill in the void left by Dončić. It doesn’t matter if the magnitude of the risk is not justified by the fleetingness of the reward. Notwithstanding the likelihood of their elimination in the play-in (assuming that they even get a slot), he believes in the value of the message he will send by burning rubber.
Needless to say, the Mavericks deserve better than the bum hand they have been dealt. Then again, no small measure of good fortune has invariably been a vital ingredient for success. If it’s any consolation, the bitter taste in their mouth is not one of regret, but of anger. They’ll need to be reminded of it when they aim for vindication this time next year.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.