Anthony Davis will not need surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand and could return to action in about six weeks, avoiding a season-ending procedure. Earlier Tuesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Davis was expected to undergo surgery and miss several months, but the 10-time All-Star received more encouraging news after meeting with a hand specialist.
The updated timeline keeps Davis’ season alive, with the Mavericks sitting at 15-25 and 12th in the Western Conference. Dallas had renewed trade talks with multiple interested teams after learning the initial severity of the injury on Friday. The Toronto Raptors and Atlanta Hawks have previously expressed interest in Davis.
Davis injured his hand defending Utah’s Lauri Markkanen on a drive late in Thursday’s road loss to the Jazz. He had 21 points, 11 rebounds, four assists and one block in 35 minutes before the injury.
The 32-year-old has played just 29 regular season games in a Mavericks uniform since arriving from the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2025 as the centerpiece of Luka Doncic’s career. Several injuries have limited his availability during his tenure in Dallas.
The Mavericks are 10-10 this season with Davis in the lineup and 5-15 without him. Dallas is prioritizing its long-term prospects, building around Rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg. The 2026 NBA draft is the last in which the Mavericks determine their first-round pick until 2031.
Davis averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.7 blocks in 20 games this season. His 21.6 PER matches his production after the trade from the Lakers last season. Davis is represented by Rich Paul and was interested in trading options before his injury. He is trying to land with a team that is willing to sign him to an extension this season.
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