The Dallas Mavericks made one of the boldest trades in recent NBA history when they sent franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. The blockbuster move shocked the basketball world—and it placed enormous pressure on Davis to deliver. But after a turbulent few months marked by injury setbacks and playoff disappointment, Davis is opening up about the emotional weight he’s carried—and the heartbreak of letting down a fanbase that still longs for its former hero.

In the aftermath of the Mavericks’ season-ending loss to the Memphis Grizzlies in the Play-In Tournament, Anthony Davis made a rare, heartfelt admission. With visible emotion, he reflected on the city of Dallas, the fans, and how they responded to his sudden arrival, even as many were still grieving the departure of Luka Doncic.

“Obviously, it’s a lot of emotion,” Davis said. “I know it’s not directed towards me. The city loved the guy. Get rid of a guy. New guy comes in, yet they want to embrace you… and they’re thankful for you—it still stings.”

Davis’s words captured the unique emotional crossroads that the Mavs and their fans have been stuck at since the midseason trade. There was no handbook for how to process the loss of a beloved star like Luka. But according to Davis, Dallas fans did something rare—they welcomed him and his teammate Max Christie with open arms, even when their hearts were still hurting.

“I’m just thankful and appreciative for the city of Dallas and the fans for welcoming me and Max to the new situation,” he added.

But what makes this all the more painful, for Davis and the fans, is the way the season ended. Despite his heroic 40-point effort in the play-in game, the Mavericks couldn’t survive the Memphis Grizzlies, bowing out 120–106 and missing the playoffs altogether.

Anthony Davis’s time in Dallas was short but eventful. He only played ten regular-season games, but still averaged 20.7 points, 10. rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 2.3 blocks per game. On paper, he did everything expected of him—and then some. His performance against the Toronto Raptors on April 11 was one for the history books: 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists in under 30 minutes.

But behind the stat lines, Davis was battling constant pain. Groin and back injuries plagued his final weeks of the season, forcing him to miss the regular-season finale and limiting his mobility during critical stretches. And when fans saw him benched for the final five minutes of the play-in game, eyebrows were raised.

Was he injured again? Was something seriously wrong?

Jason Kidd reveals the truth behind the decision

In the postgame press conference, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd cleared the air on that surprising move. A reporter asked directly: Was sitting Davis in the final minutes a medical call, or something else? “The game getting out of hand,” Kidd said bluntly.

That’s it. No cryptic injury updates. No behind-the-scenes drama. According to Kidd, Davis was available, but with the game slipping away and the deficit ballooning, there was no point risking further injury. It was a pragmatic decision, but one that symbolized the disappointment of a season that didn’t go as planned.

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And yet, Davis never stopped trying. He played through pain, he carried a team that lost Kyrie Irving to injury. He shouldered the expectations of a fanbase still mourning Luka, and he gave them everything he had left.

As the dust settles on the Mavericks’ season, Anthony Davis’s emotional admission feels like the closing note on a bittersweet chapter. This was never going to be easy—replacing a generational talent like Luka Doncic while trying to bond with a new team and fanbase on the fly. But Davis never took it for granted.

“I’m just very appreciative I get to play the game of basketball,” he said. “Appreciative to Dallas and the fanbase and my teammates for accepting me and welcoming me with open arms, given the situation.”

There’s no telling what the future holds for Davis and the Mavericks. But one thing is clear: he earned the respect of a city that never asked for this trade, but stood by him anyway.