The Dallas Mavericks‘ NBA season has taken a dramatic turn for the worse in just about a month. Following Luka Doncic’s trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, the team has been plagued with injuries to key players. Anthony Davis, who appeared in only one game for the Mavs, was sidelined with an injury, and more recently, star guard Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.
While awaiting Davis’ return, Irving’s devastating knee injury during Monday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings has significantly altered the Mavericks‘ plans. Now, with both their top stars sidelined, the Mavs’ playoff hopes seem increasingly bleak.
In light of this, NBA insider Tim Bontemps offered a blunt assessment of the Mavericks’ future during a segment on The Hoop Collective podcast. “I’m gonna be honest. I don’t think Anthony Davis should ever play for the Mavericks again,” Bontemps said. “You shouldn’t play the rest of the season and they should trade him this summer“.
Bontemps went on to analyze the Mavericks’ current situation, highlighting that the window for this group to contend is closing fast. “Nico Harrison talked about them having a three- or four-year window with this group. That included this season,” Bontemps continued. “Kyrie Irving is going to be a 33-year-old guard who had a catastrophic knee injury, with a player option for next season. You basically have to write him off for being a major contributor for next season“.
He also stressed the difficulty of contending without another star beside Davis. “At that point, Anthony Davis will have one year left on his deal. He’s going to be approaching his 33rd birthday. This team has really no ability to contend as it stands now without a proper star next to Anthony Davis,” Bontemps added.
Mavericks’ injury woes
This season has been marred by injuries for the Mavericks. Before the trade of Luka Doncic to the Lakers, he missed over a month due to a calf injury, leaving a significant void on the team.
In addition, injuries to key players like Derek Lively II and Daniel Gafford have further complicated matters. Davis, who played just one game as a reinforcement, adds to the injury list. To make matters worse, Irving’s recent injury will sideline him for the rest of the season, leading to an extended recovery period.
Shaq offers his solution
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal weighed in on the Mavericks’ struggles, noting that the team has little chance of winning a championship without both stars healthy. “Now, they don’t have a shot… They have no shot at winning a championship without Kyrie. And without a healthy AD,” Shaq stated.
O’Neal then proposed a potential solution for the Mavs, drawing from the 76ers’ approach with Joel Embiid. “I think the Dallas organization needs to go the Joel Embiid route,” he suggested. “Shut AD down also. Get ready for next year… If I were Nico (Harrison) and the rest of those guys, I’d just shut AD down. Work him out hard this summer and come back next year”.