Dallas Mavericks fans were ecstatic that the team finally traded Anthony Davis last month, and they’ll be even happier that he’s gone after seeing how far his stock around the league has plummeted as of late. Dallas definitely got back better value for him than what was expected, given that Khris Middleton and Marvin Bagley III have turned out to be excellent role players. On the other hand, Davis has yet to play a game for the Washington Wizards.
The Ringer released their top 100 players in the NBA rankings this week, and Davis was ranked at No. 49 — even lower than Cooper Flagg, who came in at No. 47. This is a major drop-off from where fans are used to seeing the one-time NBA Champion, but it illustrates how much he’s declined over the last few years.
The NBA world is finally seeing what Mavericks fans already knew
Davis’ first game as a Maverick exemplified everything that Dallas thought they were getting when they traded Luka Doncic to bring him in. He finished with 26 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks, and the American Airlines Center was loving every second of it.
Fans were still heartbroken that Doncic was a Los Angeles Laker, but Davis’ dominant performance briefly took the pain away — until it didn’t. He went down in the third quarter of that game, causing him to miss the next 18 games.
Davis had some solid games as a Maverick in the other 28 games he played for the team, but the hype was gone. His fate in Dallas was cursed the moment that the trade went through, and his fall from grace was put to paper with The Ringer’s extremely low ranking.
Anthony Davis’ injuries have changed everything
Injuries have derailed his career despite being one of the best defensive big men in the NBA when he’s on the court, and while his decline makes the Doncic trade look even more preposterous, it makes Dallas’ decision to move on when they did look even better.
The fact that he hasn’t even returned from the hand injury he suffered as a Maverick in early January is a major red flag, regardless of whether the Wizards are just trying to be cautious. Dallas got out of the Anthony Davis business at the perfect time, and the rest of the NBA world is finally catching onto what Mavericks fans have known for nearly a year now.
He’s past his prime despite being just 33 years old, and until he can find a way to stay on the court, he won’t return to being one of the best bigs in the NBA. His favor around the league is nosediving, and Dallas should be pleased that they don’t have to deal with his prolonged injury absences anymore.