Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis seems to be getting closer to a return, but there seems to be a divide within the organization about when he can play.
Following Monday’s 116-114 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported Davis originally targeted Dallas’ game against the Washington Wizards on Nov. 8 to return from a calf strain before members of the medical staff and Mavs governor Patrick Dumont pushed back on the timeline.
According to MacMahon, the feeling among some Mavs officials was that Davis “could aggravate the injury” by returning at that point similar to what happened in his first game with the club after being acquired as part of the Luka Dončić trade:
“A similar situation unfolded in Davis’ debut with the Mavs last February, when he returned from an abdominal injury he suffered before the trade and sustained a related adductor strain that sidelined him for the next six weeks.
“Dumont was among the people involved in the dialogue regarding Davis’ return in recent days, sources said, stating his preference to err on the side of caution. Dumont’s involvement in that level of decision-making is an indication of eroding trust in (general manager Nico) Harrison.”
The Mavericks officially listed Davis as questionable prior to Monday’s game before ruling him out prior to tipoff.
Davis hasn’t played since Oct. 29 when he left in the first quarter of a win against the Indiana Pacers because of left lower leg soreness. He entered that game with bilateral Achilles tendinopathy but still took the court.
“Tried to return,” head coach Jason Kidd told reporters afterward. “Didn’t want to take any chances. We’ll see how he is going forward.”
Davis played 51 games last season for the Los Angeles Lakers and Mavericks and has appeared in more than 62 games in a single campaign just once since 2017-18.
When healthy, he is one of the best big men of his generation with a resume that includes a championship, five All-NBA selections, three block titles and 10 All-Star Game nods. He is a double-double threat whenever he is on the floor and is averaging 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game in five starts this season.
Dallas is 2-3 in the five games Davis has started so far, but just 1-5 in six games without him. The team’s 3-8 mark overall is the second-worst in the Western Conference, ahead of only the New Orleans Pelicans (2-8).
The next opportunity for Davis to play will be on Wednesday when the Mavericks host the Phoenix Suns.
