Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis is expected to miss about six weeks after suffering ligament damage in his left hand, though he will not require surgery, the team announced.
The decision to avoid surgery followed a medical evaluation Tuesday, with doctors projecting a recovery timeline of roughly six weeks.
Davis was injured late in Dallas’ 116–114 loss to the Utah Jazz last week while defending Lauri Markkanen on a drive to the basket. The 32-year-old was visibly in pain as he headed to the bench before eventually leaving for the locker room.
This marks the second extended absence of the season for the 10-time All-Star. Davis missed 15 of 16 games in November due to a calf strain and has also dealt with a groin injury. In total, he has now missed 20 of the Mavericks’ first 40 games this season.
Injuries have been a persistent theme during Davis’ time in Dallas. Former general manager Nico Harrison, who has since been fired, acquired Davis from the Los Angeles Lakers nearly a year ago in the blockbuster trade that sent franchise cornerstone Luka Dončić to L.A. Davis arrived with an extensive injury history and re-aggravated an abdominal issue in his Mavericks debut last February, sidelining him for 18 games.
Since that debut, Davis has missed 40 of 71 regular-season games with Dallas, including the team’s two play-in tournament games last season when he was available but the Mavericks fell short.
Another lengthy absence complicates Dallas’ long-term plans. The Mavericks could consider trading Davis in an effort to move on from the Dončić deal, which has increasingly looked like a setback for the franchise. A six-week recovery timeline at least leaves open the possibility that Davis could return in time to rebuild value ahead of the playoffs.
His injury also factors into decisions surrounding Kyrie Irving. The nine-time All-Star guard tore the ACL in his left knee early last March, with an initial projection putting his return sometime after the start of the new year.
Despite flashes of promise from rookie No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg, Dallas has struggled to gain traction in the Western Conference. The Mavericks are on pace to miss the postseason for a second straight year after reaching the 2024 NBA Finals behind Dončić and Irving.
If Davis returns as expected, he could still ramp up in time for the postseason—potentially positioning himself as an appealing trade target for a contender or attempting to carve out a clearer future with his next team.
