The Los Angeles Lakers know Anthony Davis is a dominant big man capable of anchoring a championship defense, but he comes with two major faults. The Mavericks seemingly ignored his lengthy injury history when trading Luka Doncic for him. The baffling move will forever be a league-altering one. Dallas is finally learning that AD is best at the five, despite his desires to be a power forward.
The Lakers refused to grant his wish to add a starting-caliber big man to play next to him several times. Davis struggles to consistently make 3-pointers, so the offensive spacing can be problematic when he plays the four. Beyond that, the star’s biggest advantages are on display when he’s anchoring the defense and playing in the middle.
Dallas is rumored to be interested in trading AD, but is struggling to find a partner. They are certainly not getting a Luka-level player in return. The Mavs know Davis will play like a star when healthy. Sadly, he has appeared in just 27 of 69 possible games since coming to Dallas. It is part of the reason that they are ready to move on.
Mavericks are learning about Anthony Davis’ injury history and need to play the 5
They face a gigantic problem with AD at the five. Dallas acquired Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford to give Luka two talented lob threats and rim protectors. If Davis is going to play all his minutes at center, it is difficult to find time for the other two players. Lively’s season-ending injury after seven games eased the burden this year, but it will continue to be a problem moving forward.
Davis has played more than 56 games just once since 2020. He topped 70 contests in a season just three times in 14 years. The 32-year-old will miss time with various injuries throughout the season. The Lakers came to accept it and tried to keep him healthy for when the games mattered most.
He won a championship and made two trips to the conference finals in five years in Los Angeles. There is no questioning his talent. It is all about maximizing his production and trying to avoid the dreaded injury bug.
The future Hall of Famer won’t suddenly change. Dallas knows exactly what they have. Davis will score 20 every night and can anchor a dominant defense, but it comes with a scary injury history and a need to play out of his desired role.
The Lakers were happy to move on from AD, especially when Luka Doncic became available. Number 77 led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024 and is one of the four best players on the planet. Luka has his warts, but he instantly raised LA’s ceiling.
The Los Angeles Lakers certainly have Nico Harrison to thank. Anthony Davis is exactly what fans know. The Mavericks are finding out and trying to maximize him. It isn’t easy, but it is what Dallas wanted. The Lakers are certainly happy with the trade and will keep building their roster around Luka. Expect to quickly vault back into title contention.