AD Down (Again), Dallas Down Bad, and The Ghost of Luka

DALLAS — Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Anthony Davis is injured.

I know, I know. You’re shocked. You’re floored. You’re clutching your pearls. In other news, water is wet, the sky is blue, and traffic on I-35 is a nightmare.

In a development that absolutely everyone—except apparently the former Mavericks front office—saw coming, Anthony Davis has exited the chat. The Dallas Mavericks’ oft-injured, unibrowed big man left Thursday’s loss to the Utah Jazz clutching his hand, and the updates are exactly what you’d expect from a horror movie script written for Mark Cuban.

Per Shams Charania, AD has suffered ligament damage in his left hand.

“Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis has sustained ligament damage in his left hand... Depending on second opinion and if surgery is required, Davis could miss a number of months.”

Translation: Put the trade machine away, folks. It’s broken.

The "All-In" Gamble That Went All-Out Wrong

Let’s rewind for a second, shall we? Eleven months ago, then-GM Nico Harrison looked at Luka Dončić—a generational talent, a literal wizard with a basketball, a man who smiles while destroying entire franchises—and said, "You know what? I'd prefer a 32-year-old veteran whose injury history reads like a CVS receipt."

They sent Luka to the Lakers. They brought AD to Dallas.

Nico Harrison has since been fired (obviously), but the Mavericks are still stuck holding the bag—and that bag is currently wearing a cast.

Dallas is sitting 10 games under .500. They are out of the playoff picture. They went from the NBA Finals to the lottery in less than two years. And the plan was to flip AD at the February deadline to recoup some assets.

Marc Stein poured a little more salt in the wound:

“League sources confirm tonight that their fears of ligament damage... appear to have been validated. Davis is out for an unknown period.”

The Trade Deadline Nightmare

Here is the comedy of errors: The Mavs needed to trade AD next month. The sharks were circling. There were rumors. There was hope that Dallas could get something back to pair with young Cooper Flagg (the only bright spot in this Greek tragedy).

But now? Who is trading for a 32-year-old with a busted hand and a "Out Indefinitely" tag?

If surgery is required, AD’s trade value drops from "diminished" to "clearance rack at a closing Spirit Halloween store." Suitors aren't going to give up draft capital for a guy who might not hold a basketball until April.

The Sanchez Verdict

The Mavericks tried to play 4D chess and ended up playing checkers with missing pieces. They traded the future (Luka) for the present (AD), only to find out the "present" spends half the season in street clothes.

We will keep monitoring the situation, mostly because we can't look away from the car crash.

Get well soon, AD.

Good luck, Dallas. (You’re gonna need it).