Dallas Mavericks star power forward and center Anthony Davis is about to return. He’ll do it with the Los Angeles Lakers as the opponents this Friday night. Davis’ last month has been plagued by a calf strain that has caused him to recently miss time. This injury has sidelined him from being on the court since October 29. His return definitely adds an interesting layer to this compelling matchup, especially for Davis and Dallas, as they go up against his former teammate’s squad.
Initially, Davis planned to return November 8th in a road game versus the Washington Wizards. He’s now been able to confirm his participation in one of the weekend games. First, he’ll take on the Los Angeles Lakers in a back-to-back matchup against the two Los Angeles teams. Following practice on Wednesday, an energetic Davis punctuated his desire to get back on the court.
Davis will not play in Saturday’s game against the LA Clippers but is expected to be available for Monday’s road game against the Denver Nuggets. This will be his first time playing the Lakers since the trade in February. That trade had originally shipped him to Dallas in return for superstar guard Luka Doncic.
To be able to return to the league, Davis is rejoining the Mavericks only days after the team fired general manager Nico Harrison. This action has fanned speculation about imminent changes within the agency. Speculation has run rampant that the Mavericks would be sellers, potentially looking to trade Davis in the early February trade market.
Davis remains focused on his role with the Mavericks. He shared his thoughts with reporters, stating:
“That doesn’t affect me. I’ve been in trade talks for a while. My job is to do what I do when I’m on the floor, play basketball and try to lead this team. Whatever comes out of that, comes out of that. I don’t have really any control over that, but I do have an open line of communication with the front office, and I’m just ready to get back on the floor.”
Davis’s return understandably sets the Mavericks fan base ablaze with hope and excitement. As a 2020 NBA champion, he’s already proven what a transformative impact he can have on the court. Continuing to look ahead, next Tuesday’s game against the Lakers is a huge personal milestone for him to look forward to. Beyond that, it provides the Mavericks a useful opportunity to gain further clarity about where they stand amid this transitional phase.
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