The Dallas Mavericks are staring down a $275 million decision, and not everyone believes Anthony Davis’ injury history should deter them. While speculation around Davis’ future has grown louder following his latest hand injury, three-time All-Star Gilbert Arenas is urging Dallas to do the opposite of what the noise suggests: show patience, ignore the pressure, and commit fully to the superstar big man.

Speaking on his podcast, Arenas pushed back against the growing narrative that Davis’ availability issues make him expendable. “The smartest money says don’t do nothing.” Said Arenas. “Everybody always wants to do something, right? Like you get talked out of your bag. You have Anthony Davis. You have Cooper Flagg. He’s only going to get better. He can be the second option or a third option on a championship team if they’re going to win it next year, right? And if he is your third option, you actually have a dangerous team.”

Arenas added, “So you have Cooper Flagg, who is showing that he is a mismatch problem. So that means you try to put any of those small guards on them with Anthony Davis out there. You got a problem with that team.”

Next summer, Davis becomes eligible for a four-year, $275 million extension. In light of his injury, the Mavs are reportedly refraining from giving the extension to Davis. His agent, Rich Paul, is also looking for another market that could give his client the deal Davis wants. However, Arenas suggested the Mavs should extend the deal to Davis and keep him.

Instead, he framed the situation as a test of organizational conviction—whether the Mavericks are willing to bet on a generational two-way force whose presence alone can tilt a playoff series, or cave to the safer, short-term instincts that often define modern roster-building.

Because for all the concern surrounding Davis’ durability, Arenas’ argument is simple: players who can give you 25 and 10 while anchoring a defense don’t come cheap—and they don’t come often.

With Davis, Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving, the Mavs have a chance to turn things around in the next season and create a championship team. When Davis comes back, would the Mavs have the guarantee of him remaining healthy? No. But Arenas still wanted Dallas to bet on Davis.

Paul has reportedly been pushing the Mavericks to pull off a Davis trade because he knows how reluctant they would be to give him an extension. However, while their trade intentions match, they differ about the consequential ends.

The Mavs also want to get the maximum out of trading a player of Davis’ caliber. The injury could eventually force an unlikely end, with Davis playing for Dallas in the future.

With a shrinking market in free agency, Anthony Davis could end up with the Mavs

The ligament damage to his left hand quickly jolted Davis’ free-agent market. Before the hand injury, he was continually being linked to the Atlanta Hawks, especially in light of the Trae Young trade.

However, since then, the Hawks have turned their face around, and Rich Paul can’t find a home for his client. With a shutdown free agency, both Davis and Dallas are stuck with the deal that neither of them wanted.

There was a widespread fear after Davis tore his ligament in his hand that he might need surgery, which could have shut him down for months. However, according to the latest update, he wouldn’t need surgery for the injury and could be back on the court after six weeks.

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The new update could still prove to be a lifeline for both parties.

The potential return timeline could still give Davis at least a month to prove his worth, unless Dallas has a different plan for him. He could use that playing time this season to spike his trade value and wait for the offseason to see if any deal materializes for him.

However, anything coming to fruition wouldn’t be possible if the Mavs don’t get the deal they want from his trade. If so, Davis could very well be playing next season with the Mavericks.