Timing may have turned into the Dallas Mavericks’ biggest enemy. As trade talks around Anthony Davis quietly lingered, his ligament injury against the Utah Jazz changed everything in an instant. What once felt like a looming decision now looks frozen. With months potentially lost to recovery, Dallas may be forced to ride out a situation it was hoping to escape.

“The consensus among NBA personnel was that Dallas won’t be able to trade Davis before Feb. 5. Davis’ trade value was already low because of his contract and his durability concerns. This hand injury only lowers his trade value,” The Athletic’s Christian Clark wrote.

Teams had every right to be hesitant when trying to trade for Davis. An interesting fact I came across is that AD has yet to have played six straight games for the Dallas Mavericks. He’d just returned from a groin setback four games ago. Now, with the potential of having to undergo surgery, rival teams won’t even pick up the phone even if the Mavericks are willing to be generous.

Anthony Davis has two years left on his $175 million contract. Teams aren’t as concerned about those figures as what comes next. Davis’ camp is pushing for an exit as they eye a four-year, $275 million extension in the summer. At this point, with AD indefinitely out, rivals want to run as far away from giving Davis any leverage.

The Mavericks may not commit to him in the long-term either. However, it looks increasingly likely that the brunt of managing his future will rest on their shoulders. It prevents them from building around Cooper Flagg immediately. But there is also a silver lining to Davis’ injury.

The Mavericks have no need to rest Kyrie Irving or Davis

Over the next five years, the Mavericks only control their 2026 draft pick. Normally, under such limited circumstances, teams have two choices. The Mavericks decided Cooper Flagg’s introduction could elevate their status. Objectively, if Davis had stayed healthy until Kyrie Irving’s return, Dallas could have hoped to skip an extensive rebuild and remain competitive.

However, now that AD could be out for months, there’s still a way for them to reap some positive benefits from this campaign. That’s by shutting down Irving and, if need be, even Anthony Davis for the rest of the season.

Even though the Mavericks have a deep roster, they will certainly drop games without two of their elite stars. Furthermore, giving Cooper Flagg the keys for the remainder of the season could also aid in his development. But what it does most importantly is give the Mavs a great shot at being a lottery team once again.

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The 2026 class is highly regarded in terms of talent. If the plan works out, the Mavericks could eye organically replacing AD with a touted talent. It not only sits as insurance, but would also enable them to run out Davis’ contract if a trade doesn’t materialize in the near future. Nobody would blame the franchise for this ‘ethical tanking’. As it stands, it’s the most logical pathway for the Mavericks to gain something this season.

The front office can also hope Anthony Davis improves his durability by taking the time to properly recover. If he doesn’t, they lean into the draft and pick up an ideal alternative. But this is considering everything goes in their favor. Generally, the NBA isn’t a league of blessings.

Having said that, what else can the Mavericks do? To make the best out of the situation, they might have to accept things getting ugly. Once they see Irving besides Flagg next season, they can make an informed decision on how to handle Anthony Davis’ case. But they need that time now that Irving may not appear at all this season.

The Mavericks would have hoped to have it better. Sadly, these are the cards they have been dealt. Might as well try to make the most of it.