Apr 5, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) looks on during the second half against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Mavericks star Anthony Davis posts cryptic messages

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Aug 1, 2025 3:19 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks acquired Anthony Davis last season in the controversial Luka Doncic trade with the Los Angeles Lakers in February. Davis immediately got hurt in his first game as a Maverick against the Houston Rockets, straining his adductor in an otherwise spectacular debut. He'd only play 11 total games for the Mavs, including the two Play-In Tournament games, clearly pushing through injury.

As great a player as Davis is, he has always struggled to stay healthy. In his last seven seasons, he would've qualified for the NBA's new 65-game requirement for postseason awards just once. This offseason is already off to a bad start, as Davis underwent a procedure to repair a detached retina about a month ago. He's expected to be back fully healthy for training camp, but it's an ominous sign.

Davis has had an interesting week, posting a few cryptic messages on his Instagram story. One was just a black screen with emojis of a sad face and prayer hands, and another had a message that said "A man who doesn't care anymore was once a man who cared too much."

Hoping AD is doing okay pic.twitter.com/iuwIZKwFUn
— MFFL NATION (@NationMffl) July 31, 2025

No one is quite sure what he's referring to with his posts, whether it's something with his family or something different entirely. Whatever it is, Mavericks fans have been wishing him well, hoping it's nothing too serious.

Should the Mavericks Consider Trading Anthony Davis?

Nearly everyone agrees the Mavericks were fleeced in the Luka Doncic deal in February when they only got Davis, Max Christie, and just one first-round pick in 2029. Dallas then completely lucked out, somehow winning the draft lottery to select Cooper Flagg first overall. That has analysts and fans wondering if the team should lean into the Cooper Flagg era and trade Davis while he still has value.

ESPN's Shams Charania revealed a while back that Davis could command at least four first-round draft picks, and the Mavericks don't have many in the upcoming years. Trading Davis would allow them to recoup some of that value lost in the Doncic deal, especially if they could trade him sooner rather than later. If they wait until the last year of his contract, he'll be making $62 million at nearly 35 years old. It may be too late by then.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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