Anthony Davis has already logged a decade of All-Star appearances, an NBA title, and countless nights as one of the league’s most dominant big men. Now, entering his first full season with the Dallas Mavericks, he is taking on a dual role: defensive anchor and offensive hub.
Davis, who averaged 24.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 51 games last season and earned his 10th All-Star nod, showed flashes in Dallas after his midseason trade.
In nine games with the Mavericks, he averaged 20.0 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. A summer of recovery and training has set him up to do more—both as the centerpiece of the team’s defense and as a fulcrum in assistant coach Jay Triano’s offense.
A New Role in Jay Triano’s Offense
Dallas hired Triano this summer after his work with the Sacramento Kings, where he built one of the NBA’s most innovative systems around Domantas Sabonis. That scheme, rooted in Princeton principles, emphasized dribble handoffs, cutting, and quick decision-making, with Sabonis stationed at the elbows or top of the key as the playmaking engine.
The Kings ran more dribble handoffs per possession than any team in league history under Triano, maximizing Sabonis’ vision and allowing guards like De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk to flourish off the ball. The approach was less about rigid pick-and-rolls and more about constant motion, forcing defenses into tough reads.
For Davis, the similarities are obvious.
“Ball movement. Getting to our spots and creating lanes for our guys,” Davis said. “We have a lot of guys who love basketball and can playmake. So the emphasis has been getting to our spots on the floor, opening up lanes for everyone, and then attacking the basket. … With Jay Triano coming over and kind of how they used Sabonis as the hub, kind of the same thing. And guys just playing off of that.”
Davis said he welcomes the responsibility of operating as a facilitator, making quick reads and allowing cutters and shooters to flow around him. The structure plays to his strengths—passing, decision-making, and versatility—while helping the Mavericks create balance beyond their star perimeter scorers.
Rebuilding the Defensive Foundation
If Triano is reshaping Dallas’ offense, Davis is reshaping its defense. He said he was stunned to learn on the first day of camp that the Mavericks ranked last in rebounding last season since the midseason trade.
“I didn’t know this until they told us yesterday, first day of camp, that we were 30th in rebounding,” Davis said. “So there’s been a lot of focus on not watching the ball as it goes to the rim, but turning and finding a body and boxing out, and then going to locate the ball. We are a really good defensive team, but defense—you have to try. It’s a mindset.”
The Mavericks are betting their frontcourt depth can change that. Davis said the size across the roster—himself, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and rookie Cooper Flagg—should allow Dallas to close the paint if they commit to intensity.
“We’re a very athletic team. We’ve got a bunch of tall guys,” Davis said. “If we’re able to play defense with intensity, no one should be able to score in our paint. Even our guards are big. If we’re able to play with our hands out, get deflections, be active, talk, we’ll be a great team defensively.”
Adjustments and Preparation
This season comes with new adjustments for Davis. After undergoing eye surgery in July to repair a detached retina, he has been ordered to wear protective goggles for the rest of his career.
“I was working out with them all summer, so I’m starting to get used to them a little bit,” Davis said. “Making shots, so they feel pretty good. They don’t fog up. They’re tight behind the ear, so they don’t fall off. I guess the adjustment is having something on my face—I’m used to being able to do whatever I want, see. But the adjustment’s been pretty easy.”
He also entered camp heavier than last season at 268 pounds, knowing the grind of practices and an 82-game schedule will trim him down quickly.
“I never want to come in at my playing weight because then I lose weight during the season and I’m too small. I try to go heavier because I lose about 10 to 12 pounds very quickly during camp,” Davis said. “I’ve already lost five pounds with all the running and playing. I feel great. I’m moving great. I feel good.”
Mentoring Cooper Flagg
Perhaps Davis’ most important new role is mentoring rookie forward Cooper Flagg. The 18-year-old is being tested immediately against the league’s top wings, and Davis said his versatility is already clear.
“He looks comfortable. He can block shots and he can jump, he can rebound. He can defend one through five,” Davis said. “We’re going to put him in situations where you have to guard maybe the best wing—have to guard Durant or Jimmy Butler or these guys. And we have enough confidence in him to go out and send him out there and be able to guard those guys.”
Davis said Flagg’s advantage is the veteran support he can lean on, something Davis didn’t have when he entered the league.
“I didn’t have vets like he does—like with myself, Klay, Caleb, Kyrie—where you can go to them and talk,” Davis said.
Anthony Davis is Leading a Talented Roster
Last season, the Mavericks often found themselves scrambling to fill minutes when injuries piled up, relying on a shortened rotation that left little margin for error.
Davis emphasized that this year feels different, pointing to the team’s depth as one of its greatest strengths. With multiple contributors capable of stepping in across positions, he said Dallas now has the personnel to absorb setbacks and maintain balance over the course of the season.
“I did win a championship—that was a really talented team,” Davis said. “But this is definitely one of two. I think the championship team and this team—there’s a lot of talent on this team. We have a lot of guys. We have depth. We’ve got about nine, ten guys who can literally play. … Last year we had no bodies. Not nobody the person, but no bodies—actual bodies. So we’ve got a lot of talent. It looks good on paper, but we’ve got to go out and perform.”
That will require Davis’ leadership. He said Jason Kidd and general manager Nico Harrison made it clear over the summer they expect him to be more vocal, especially with Kyrie Irving sidelined to start the season.
“I know they’re going to be looking on me to kind of lead them,” Davis said. “Just kind of what J-Kidd and Nico have been telling me to do all summer, so I’ve been texting these guys … and trying to get them ready for the season, especially with Kai’s out.
“I know they’re used to him kind of being the leader, but I’ve kind of just taken on that role with the help of actually Klay (Thompson) as well, as being two of the three oldest guys on the team. We’ve got a group of fairly young guys. I’m just trying to give them knowledge that I have and try to lead them to success.”
Goal Remains Unchanged for Anthony Davis
For Davis, the mission in Dallas remains the same as it was the day he was traded: win a championship.
“When I got traded, when I had a press conference, nothing changes for me,” Davis said. “The goal is still to bring a championship here. I think we have a good ballclub. I think our biggest thing as a team is our health – staying healthy. Other than that, I think we can be fine. I’m happy to be here, I’m excited to be here, and I want to win here.”
The Mavericks continue training camp on Friday at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, before returning to Dallas ahead of Monday’s preseason opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth.
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