Anthony Davis' Mavericks debut proves trade wasn't all bad, but will it calm tension with fans?

Prototypically, when a franchise acquires a player of Anthony Davis’ caliber, fans are chomping at the bit to see his eventual debut on the court. Of course, things are anything but protocol nowadays in Dallas. So regardless of Anthony Davis currently performing like a top five to 10 player in the league this year, the leading emotions surrounding his debut in Dallas are not excitement and optimism. Despite the brilliance of Davis, the vast majority of the fan base in Dallas — understandably so — is still mourning the unfathomable trade deadline loss of Luka Doncic. 

In fact, some Mavericks fans are not only mourning the loss of Doncic, but actively looking to take out their frustration on Mavericks' GM Nico Harrison. It's been widely reported in the wake of the Doncic-Davis swap, that Harrison has been the target of multiple death threats and racist remarks. Not only that, but Dallas fans have also held almost daily protests and rallies outside of the American Airlines Center since the official announcement of the trade, with many fans holding signs marked, “Sell the team” and “Fire Nico Harrison." 

For his part, during his Mavericks’ debut, Davis looked entirely the part of a tier-1 mega star — for three quarters at least. For Davis, a player who has long struggled with lower body injuries, to go down with yet another one (groin) during his debut with his new ball club is surely a foreboding omen. A frightening thing to see, even for those Mavericks fans who are still in denial about Davis being there in the first place instead of Doncic.