Mavericks bringing back Anthony Davis could be larger than chasing a play-in berth

Anthony Davis made his return to the Dallas Mavericks' lineup on Monday, and it was a welcome sight for the fanbase. The Mavs may not have the best odds of making a deep playoff run this season, but that does not mean they simply want to relinquish their postseason pursuit altogether. If nothing else, Dallas is playing for pride right now. 

There is also the fact that we have yet to see what kind of true lasting impact Davis can have on this group. Lest we forget that in his first game with the franchise on Feb. 8, he put up 26 points and 16 rebounds before leaving the contest early with his adductor injury. Prior to that, he logged 42 points and 23 rebounds in one of his final games with the Los Angeles Lakers. AD is still a dominant force on the interior, and there is the potential for him to significantly raise the ceiling of this team. 

Davis himself has shown to have no interest in sitting out - he scoffed at the suggestion of being shut down for the remainder of the season. "Anytime I get a chance to come out and play, I'm gonna do it," he said. "I'm not the one to throw in the towel and sit down." 

Could the Mavs be showcasing AD for an offseason trade?

Still, some Mavs fans were not thrilled at the prospect of AD returning. Many feel that with the team just fighting for the play-in at this point, it would be better to simply shut Davis down and make sure he is healthy for next season. This viewpoint is certainly logical from the standpoint of thinking about AD's injury history as well as just considering how many other things have gone wrong for Dallas lately.

But at the end of the day, there may be a greater purpose for the Mavericks opting to play Davis down the stretch of the season. We still do not know what direction management will want to take with AD as a franchise cornerstone going forward. Of course Nico Harrison stated after the trade went down that he believes defense wins championships, and Davis is a big part of his overall vision.

However, that vision may be evolving and changing, especially considering how the remainder of this season since the trade has gone. If Dallas is considering trading AD in the summer, it would make sense to showcase his health and ability now. All things considered, Davis has been playing at a high level this season, and he has certainly proven he is still among the elite interior players in the NBA.

The Mavericks would obviously want AD's value to be the highest it can be if they were to pursue dealing him away this offseason. Davis being on the hardwood right now is partly a product of his competitive drive regardless of the standings, but it could also be a chess move by Dallas to set up a future move.