The Mavs capped off a disappointing season by only advancing to the play-in tournament. Even through the adversity, the energy on the team soared with optimism. The Mavericks’ journey culminated in a tense matchup that saw Anthony Davis limping to the bench during a timeout with 5:22 left on the clock, signaling a continuation of the injury struggles that plagued the team throughout the year.
The newly-acquired five-time first-team All-NBA selection just landed on the Western Conference’s new top team in a blockbuster trade. With this shocking move, Cowboys fans have reacted with outrage. Emotional fans complained loudly about losing one of their team’s most popular players. This young player who hasn’t even hit his prime yet, and the city really loved him. The deal principally sent Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. Fans are divided over the trade, particularly given the franchise’s recent history of building around Doncic.
Davis dealt with a sore cast after getting kneed by Zach Edey earlier in the season. Despite that, he selflessly and heroically returned for the last three months to continue playing. He owned the emotional storm that came with the trade and asserted that the blowback wasn’t directed at him.
“Obviously, it’s a lot of emotions that I know is not directed toward me. The city loved [Doncic]. You get rid of the guy, new guy comes in. While they want to embrace you and are thankful for you, it still stings.” – Anthony Davis
Klay Thompson signed with the Mavericks, rejecting richer deals from the Lakers. He feels like Dallas is the place that will afford him the best opportunity to win a fifth ring. In the season-ending loss to LSU, Thompson scored 18 points but lamented the strain of the entire season.
“It sucks. It really sucks, but I’m really proud of every man in this locker room. We showed up to work every day. We try to do the right thing every day.” – Klay Thompson
The Mavericks had dreams of a deep playoff run. Those hopes were dashed when Kyrie Irving went down with an injury, and he will miss most of next season. This disappointment only added to the challenges that this Indiana club endured, trying to find consistency with an ever-evolving roster and injury-plagued lineup all season long.
In all of these headwinds, head coach Jason Kidd really praised their team’s resiliency despite these obstacles. He praised the players for their commitment to compete despite being down to eight or nine players at certain points in the season.
“When you look at the injuries that we’ve had [and] the change, for us to even be here playing in this game tonight, it’s incredible.” – Jason Kidd
Kidd noted that their efforts enabled them to reach the play-in tournament and at least give themselves a shot at playoffs.
“Some would say we shouldn’t even be here, so give those guys in that locker room a lot of credit.” – Jason Kidd
Davis went through a dramatic season filled with both good and bad moments. He thanked everyone for his time in Dallas and looked forward to the future with excitement.
“So I’m here in Dallas, and I enjoyed my time and I’m looking forward to the future.” – Anthony Davis
Even beyond immediate roster decisions for the Mavericks to ponder, there are serious and important questions about the Mavericks’ direction and plans going into next season. The emotional burden of having to trade Doncic continues to linger. Davis and Thompson are absolutely committed to building a strong team that’s poised to compete for titles.
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