Anthony Davis' controversial Mavericks wish comes with harsh truth he must silence

Anthony Davis is supposed to make a leap in his first full season with the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs forward played in nine games last season, as he suffered an adductor strain in his first appearance with Dallas. Davis then had eye surgery this offseason to repair a detached retina. So, with him at full strength, he'll play a key role in the Mavs' lineup, especially with Kyrie Irving out.

By trading for him and already having two centers, the Mavs granted Davis his wish to play power forward. Davis had desired to play the four spot for years, and Dallas is granting him his desire. He believes the position allows him to roam freely and possibly limit his injuries, as he wouldn't have to worry about the wear and tear down low. Plus, pairing him next to Dereck Lively II or Daniel Gafford could work heavily in the Mavs' favor.

However, there is just one problem. If Davis' experiment is going to work, he'll need to become a better 3-point shooter. Last season, Davis made 28.2 percent of his shots from downtown, and he'll need to improve those numbers for this change to work. Not to mention, his shooting would help spread the Mavs' offense and help him become a more lethal scorer.

Anthony Davis' 3-point shooting could make or break his switch

In his first game with the Mavs last season, Davis shot 100 percent from the 3-point line and made both his attempts. Things seemed promising for the newly acquired player, as he scored 26 points and 16 rebounds in his debut. As mentioned, he missed the next two months with an adductor strain, leaving little to no room for improvement.

Once he returned, Davis struggled to replicate his 3-point shooting from his first game. He shot 8.3 percent from behind the line in four games in March. Davis made just one 3-point shot out of 12 attempts during that stretch. Things slightly improved the following month, when he made 25 percent of his long-range shots.

The narrative of him struggling to shoot outside shots must change. If Davis can add another tool to his box, it would allow the Mavs to have more shooters on top of the key and force defenders to question which key area they need to focus on. Additionally, Davis could limit his play inside the paint, potentially leading to fewer injuries.

If you recall, the skill of shooting 3-pointers is what helped Dirk Nowitzki become one of the top power forwards in the game. He defined the term "stretch four" as he helped the Mavs have one of the best offenses in the game. Nowitzki's ability to shoot the ball helped open the floor for his teammates and forced defenders into difficult decisions.

Fast forward to now, and the same opportunity could work in the Mavs' favor. Basically, they'll need Davis to work on his shot to help take Dallas' offense to new heights. The Mavericks already have outside shooters like Klay Thompson and players who can create their own shot, like Cooper Flagg. Adding an extra flair, like another 3-point shooter, would spice up the offense.

Plus, Mavs fans have recently seen what the offense looks like when they have a power forward who can knock down 3-pointers. Two seasons ago, P.J. Washington was the team's starting power forward, a position he dominated during the 2024 playoffs. Against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington converted 46.9 percent of his 3-point attempts and shot a whooping 63.6 percent from behind the arc in Game 2.

So, there are plenty of examples where Mavs power forwards excelled in shooting 3-pointers. Now, it's up to Davis to add to that narrative. His ability to shoot from beyond the arc at a high rate will make his position change a success. Plus, it would make the Mavs' offenses one of the top groups in the league.