Mavericks will instantly regret the Anthony Davis blockbuster trade

Injuries were the Dallas Mavericks' worst enemy last season. Many players, such as Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, and Dante Exum, all missed significant time. It was a huge pain to deal with players being out all the time, as the roster and lineup were constantly adjusted, and fully healthy games were scarce to come by. At one point, the Mavs came close to forfeiting games due to their number of absences and not having enough healthy players.

Although Dallas did not forfeit any games, it was still a major headache. One player in particular who gave the team trouble was Anthony Davis. Davis was traded to Dallas as part of the infamous Luka Doncic trade. He was seen as a dual-threat player who easily fit Nico Harrison's system and vision. His time in Dallas, though, was cut short after he missed 18 games with an adductor injury that he suffered in his first game as a Maverick.

Davis' injury last season wasn't the only time he missed valuable minutes. During his career, Davis has missed 232 games with various injuries. He missed 134 games in five and a half seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers.

So, why would Dallas trade for a player with a long line of injuries? Is it possible the Mavs and their fans still miss Donic? Will this go down as one of the most regrettable trades in franchise history?

The ghost of Luka Doncic will always haunt the Mavericks

To answer the questions above, Dallas will need to evaluate the second-half performance of both players and the success of both teams from last season, but also moving forward. One thing is clear, though: the Mavs deeply missed Doncic last season, considering how both teams' seasons ended.

In simple terms, Doncic continued to make magic with the Lakers. He averaged 28.2 points per game in 28 games with the Lakers. In his full month with Los Angeles, he averaged 30.1 points per game. This was a difference from his first seven games, when he averaged 21 points. Basically, Doncic had returned from a calf injury and was adjusting to a new team at first and it took him a while to get into a groove in Los Angeles.

One thing that hurt Mavs fans the most was seeing him ball out in the playoffs. In Game 1 of the opening round, Doncic scored 37 points and had eight rebounds and two steals. He finished the series averaging 30.2 points per game and shot 45.2 percent from the field. For fans, it was painful watching the Lakers make the playoffs and Doncic perform at an elite level.

Basically, acquiring Davis didn't heal the Mavs fans' hearts. As mentioned, Davis missed a good chunk of time with the Mavericks. He only played in nine games with Dallas and struggled in his return. He averaged a mere 14.3 points per game in March and shot 37.7 percent overall.

Davis did up his performance in the play-in games. He specifically played well in the team's final game. He scored 40 points in the team's second play-in game and shot 55.2 percent overall. His performance was spoiled by the team's loss, as Dallas' season ended in an elimination game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

However, Davis' return failed to win over fans' hearts. When comparing both players, Doncic's absence is something fans won't ever get over. For example, Doncic played in 28 games with the Lakers and helped carry Los Angeles to the third seed in the Western Conference. Davis played nine games for Dallas and helped the Mavs make the Play-In Tournament.

The main issue is that Davis is not Doncic, and he never will be. He wasn't the player who played six and a half seasons with Dallas and carried the team to two Western Conference Final appearances. Davis isn't the player fans expected to finish their career with Dallas. Yet, the biggest issue is that Davis struggled to stay on the court, and that issue could follow him for years to come. Fans won't trust a player who struggles to stay healthy, and due to the Doncic trade, he may never get fully embraced in Dallas unless he plays to Doncic's level or leads the Mavs to an NBA Finals win.

To make matters worse, Doncic had a better summer than Davis. For instance, Doncic used the offseason to get fit. He was recently seen on the cover of Men's Health and looked in the best shape of his life. Davis, on the other hand, had surgery for a detached retina. So again, both players had two different offseasons, and Doncic will enter the 2025-26 season with a head of steam while Davis has likely been restricted in what workouts he can do thanks to his eye.

It's clear Mavs fans have a hole in their hearts when it comes to Luka Doncic. His absence isn't something Anthony Davis can replace, healthy or not. Doncic took the team to multiple playoff appearances, while Davis struggled to help the team get out of the play-in in his first season with the team. It's a clear distinction that fans will never get over. Yes, it's exciting to see Davis with the new roster, but imagine Doncic playing alongside Cooper Flagg, Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington, and Dereck Lively II.

Dallas likely wouldn't have been in the NBA Draft Lottery if they hadn't traded Doncic, meaning Flagg would've headed elsewhere, but it's clear that the Mavericks could instantly regret the Doncic trade at the beginning of next season. If Doncic is playing at an MVP level while Davis struggles out of the gates, this trade is only going to be under the spotlight more, and a full season of both players on their new teams is going to expose just how badly the Mavericks messed up.

Dallas got the short end of the stick in this trade, and even though Davis is one of the best big men in the NBA, Mavs fans will realize how bad this trade was by watching a full season with Davis as the team's franchise cornerstone.