Mavericks' Davis and Martin trades expose baffling trend amid injury crisis

The Dallas Mavericks have been one of the most talked about teams in the NBA ever since the Luka Doncic trade two weeks ago, and despite all of the flack that has come their way about this move, they have found a way to win some key games as of late.

Even with several role players being out due to injuries, the Mavericks have found a way to win four of their last five games, and their back-to-back wins before the All-Star break gave the team momentum before having a week off. Every game matters in the West, and these wins instilled some life into the fan base after a tough couple of weeks.

While Mavericks fans were ecstatic that the team was able to defeat the Miami Heat on Thursday night with nearly half of their roster inactive, the wind was taken out of their sails when it was reported that Daniel Gafford would miss at least the next six weeks with a Grade 3 MCL sprain late that night after the game. Gafford's injury was much more serious than initially expected, and his injury only amplified Dallas' injury problem that has plagued them all season long.

Mavericks' trade deadline moves worsened their injury dilemma

Rather than making an effort to address Dallas' injury problem and make moves for healthy players at the trade deadline, they decided to trade for two players who were already injured, Caleb Martin and Anthony Davis. The Mavericks were set on adding Davis as they didn't talk to any other teams before trading Doncic, and this gamble could prove to be extremely costly depending on how the next few weeks go.

While Davis only missed a few games before making his Mavericks debut, he ended up getting re-injured in that game and started his recovery process all over. Davis has been mostly healthy over the last season or two, but considering his past injury history, this trade was a major risk.

Martin, on the other hand, was dealing with a hip injury before the Mavs traded for him and he is still out with this injury. While he reflected some optimism when asked about the injury during his introductory press conference, he could end up missing another week following the All-Star break. His hip injury was so bad that the Philadelphia 76ers threw in another second-round pick to sweeten the deal after his physical with the Mavericks, and that is something that we don't see much of in today's NBA.

Both of these players are poised to make big impacts once healthy, as Davis' debut was unbelievable and Martin gives them some much-needed wing depth, but it remains unclear when they will return. Trading for two injured players was undoubtedly a bold tactic from Nico Harrison, but their returns to the hardwood are highly anticipated for Dallas.

Davis' defensive impact in his first game as a Maverick and Martin's 3-and-D ability has fans excited, and when each of them is healthy, they are going to be vital to what Dallas does. Both players have a lot to live up to considering what the Mavericks gave up to give them, and them staying healthy for the remainder of the season is a major X-factor for the final stretch of the season. Dallas needs all the help they can get right now, and Martin and Davis' presence will be much needed for them to make a playoff run.