Anthony Davis can make Mavericks trade far less painful with one crucial fix

The Dallas Mavericks have been under fire from the national media and fans ever since they decided to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis on February 1, and while Dallas undoubtedly should've netted more of a return for Doncic, Davis has the chance to help swing this trade more in the Mavericks' direction by improving as a jump shooter next season.

The Mavericks' Doncic-Davis trade could go down as one of the worst trades in sports history, depending on how the rest of Doncic and Davis' careers go, but it's undeniable that Davis still remains one of the best bigs in the NBA. His defense, combined with his dominant face-up game, makes him a monster down low on both ends of the floor, but his jump shot is one part of his game that often makes or breaks his overall control of the game and how effective he can be.

Davis is still an elite big man when his jumper isn't falling, as his help-side defense, low-post offense, and rebounding help him be an anchor for his team on both ends of the floor, but he turns into one of the best players in the NBA when he can consistently knock down threes and mid-range jumpers. There are no holes in his game when he can keep the defense honest by being an effective 3-point and mid-range shooter, and Mavericks fans will be hoping to see this version of Davis soon.

Dallas' fate may rest on Anthony Davis' jump shot

We saw this during the 2020 NBA Playoffs when he helped lead the Lakers to an NBA Finals win, and in November of last season. He looked unstoppable in both instances, and his jumper truly changes everything for him. If Davis can be a consistent shooter next season, the Mavs will be one of the deadliest teams in the NBA.

It's already known that the Mavs' defense will be elite with Davis at the epicenter, and with Kyrie Irving set to miss a large chunk of next season with a torn ACL, they are going to need Davis to be excellent on offense as well. This isn't to say that Davis typically isn't good offensively, as he averages over 24 points per game for his career on 52-percent shooting, but his lack of a killer jump shot has definitely held him back some in comparison to some of his peers.

Over the past five years, Davis has failed to shoot above 30 percent from downtown over the course of an entire season, and this will need to change with him set to play plenty of power forward in Dallas next season. Davis has pleaded to play the majority of his minutes at the four for years, and with the Mavericks having Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford at the five, they are going to grant him this wish.

Spacing was a nightmare at the end of the 2024-25 season for Dallas, and them returning to a respectable level in this area will rest on Davis' shoulders. They're going to need him to step up as a shooter to help open up the paint for everyone else, and if he can take a dramatic jump as a 3-point shooter, that will likely mean that he will be a top MVP candidate when it's all said and done.

All eyes are set to be on Dallas next season as Cooper Flagg embarks on his rookie year, and Davis is one player who will have some pressure to perform at a high level. Davis' first season with the Mavs didn't go according to plan, largely due to injuries to himself and those around him, and they need him to be great to return to being contenders in a loaded Western Conference.

Dallas can't afford a mediocre season from Davis by his standards, and if his jumper is falling, that will be nearly impossible. His jump shot doesn't just hold the keys to Dallas making the playoffs next season; it could be the difference between the Mavericks winning the NBA Finals one day and potentially swinging the Doncic trade more in their direction.