Rumors: Mavericks nearing risky Anthony Davis gamble that could backfire badly

The Dallas Mavericks' season has gone haywire ever since the team traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, and anything that could have possibly gone wrong has.

From Davis going down with an adductor strain to Kyrie Irving tearing his ACL to multiple other season-ending injuries, the wrath of the basketball gods has come crashing down on the Mavericks, and it hasn't let up. Dallas has been dangerously close to having to forfeit games for not having enough players, and it seems like every Mavs fan is praying for the end of the season to come so they don't have to endure any more of this misery.

While the Mavericks have been dropping games left and right over the last few weeks, they got back on track on Friday night against the Detroit Pistons. Dallas beat the playoff-bound Pistons by a score of 123-117, and more wins could be on the way if a reported update on Davis and his injury recovery ends up coming true.

It has been reported for some time now that Davis' rehab has gone well and that he wants to return to the floor as soon as he can. The action of him actually returning has been unclear though, as members of the Mavericks organization have questioned if this would be worth it for Davis, and Jason Kidd's pregame injury updates have provided little clarity as to whether he will return or not. Kidd has emphasized that Davis' recovery is going well, but he has continuously refrained from giving a timeline for Davis' return.

Anthony Davis' return is imminent, but it comes with a major risk

Davis returning to the team when they are in this state is a huge risk considering how much bad mojo Dallas has undergone this season, and a recent report has cleared the air on this decision between the Mavericks and their new franchise cornerstone.

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, Davis "is in increasingly strong contention to make his return to the floor during the Mavericks' upcoming swing through the Eastern Conference." The Mavs play the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, the New York Knicks on Tuesday, the Orlando Magic on Thursday, and the Chicago Bulls on Saturday, and it sounds like Davis will be back for one of these games.

Davis "wants to play again this season no matter what" according to Stein, and his return seems inevitable at this point, now it's just a matter of when. While Davis' return to the lineup will undoubtedly give them a better shot at securing a spot in the Play-In Tournament, the risk-reward ratio is not in Davis' favor.

The Mavericks would be better off by sitting Davis for the rest of the season rather than allowing him to come back just for a shot to make the play-in, and Dallas' odds of escaping the play-in and winning a playoff series is slim to none. The Mavs would end up getting matched up against the Oklahoma City Thunder, and they plainly don't have the depth and firepower to compete with the Oklahoma City powerhouse.

There is also the risk that Davis could get injured in some capacity when and if he returns to the floor this season, and him not having a full offseason to prepare for next season would be a devastating blow. It seems like nothing that happens this season over the next few weeks can save the Mavericks from the nonstop criticism that has come along with the Doncic trade, even if Davis does lead Dallas to the playoffs.

While the Mavs won't bring Davis back until he is 110 percent healthy, the number of freak injuries that have happened to the team this season is undeniable, and Davis suffering some sort of injury would make the scrutiny from the trade even worse. The decision to bring Davis back holds more risk than anyone realizes, but it sounds like it's a move Mavericks fans will be forced to live with as the team is on a tightrope between the play-in and draft lottery.