Kidd’s discouraging Anthony Davis update shatters Mavericks fans’ biggest hope

Dallas Mavericks fans' worlds have been turned upside down this month, unlike anything we've ever seen before. Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis in the middle of the night on February 1, breaking fans' hearts who cherished Doncic dearly, and the tough breaks continued for the Mavs just eight days later.

Three quarters into Davis' Mavericks debut on February 9 against the Houston Rockets, he went down with a non-contact injury, and every Mavs fan's heart sunk to their stomachs. Davis was in the middle of an incredible debut, but it was halted by a scary injury that caused him to go back to the locker room and never return to the game.

Davis assured the media after the game that his injury was not serious and that he'd be fine, but that has been far from the case. He ended up suffering an adductor strain, and he has been out of the lineup ever since. Jason Kidd let reporters know that Davis' injury would be reevaluated on March 6 earlier this month, but Mavs fans' dreams of Davis being ready to return by that date seem unlikely.

Anthony Davis' limited workload suggests return isn't imminent

Kidd gave the media an update on Davis' status before Dallas' game against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night, and his description of how Davis is doing doesn't scream that he'll be ready to play in an NBA game in a week's time.

"He’s doing extremely well," Kidd said when asked about Davis. "The energy is positive, he feels good."

Davis travelled with the Mavs for a two-game road trip for the first time all season at the beginning of this week, and fans were thrilled to see Davis doing some light on-court shooting on the floor before the game. While nothing looked to be rigorous, it was a major step in the right direction for him to be traveling with the team and getting some shots up.

"Happy that he’s on the court, but just in conversation he says he feels great," Kidd said. "So hopefully he’s trending in the right direction and we’ll find out here shortly how everything’s going."

Kidd's answer when asked about Davis did not sound overly confident, although he is known for reserved injury updates, and while there is some optimism, time is running out. Kidd didn't even fully confirm that Davis is trending upwards, as he said "hopefully he’s trending in the right direction," and Dallas' fate could end up being determined next week once the reevaluation results are revealed.

The Mavs only have 22 games remaining in the regular season, and it is becoming more clear by the day that they need Davis healthy to make a deep playoff run, and they are in serious danger of being a play-in team. They can't continue to rely on Kyrie Irving to carry the entire offensive load, and Davis returning to the floor this season will likely make or break Dallas' playoff chances.

While a return to the floor at some point this season does seem likely considering he is doing on-court work consistently and he hasn't been shut down yet, it remains unclear when it will be. March 6 seems more like a day in which fans will learn more about his recovery process rather than him making a full return at that time, and the work that he is doing right now echoes that.

Davis is only participating in light shooting and lifting in the weight room according to Kidd, and considering March 6 is six days away, he likely won't be playing at that point. There are a ton more steps for Davis to take before playing in a game, and since the Mavericks are taking a cautious approach with his recovery, fans must be patient. The Mavs would like for Davis and Dereck Lively II to get some time under their belt together before the regular season ends, and we should know soon if that goal is looking feasible.