Mavericks need the best version of Anthony Davis

Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis is beginning to settle into his new team after a full offseason in the Lone Star State.

Now that he is comfortable in his surroundings, eight months after being traded by the Los Angeles Lakers, Davis can be one of the best players in the NBA with his new situation. CBS Sports placed him at No. 12 in their top 100 player rankings before the start of the season.

"Davis was involved in one of the most shocking trades in NBA history, which may have distracted from the fact that he had an incredible 2024-25 season," CBS Sports contributor Colin Ward-Henninger wrote.

"In 42 games with the Lakers, he put up 26 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks and a steal per game on 53% shooting. Only a handful of players in NBA history have put up those averages, and they're all Hall of Famers. Two questions surround the 2025-26 version of Davis: 1) How will he fit in on the Mavericks, who will likely pair him with another paint-clogging big man for the majority of his minutes? And 2) How often will he be on the court? Davis has only played more than 56 games twice in the last seven seasons, and his lack of consistent availability remains the only reasonable knock on his All-NBA level performance."