TheDallas Mavericks, once again, are set to be withoutAnthony Davis.
An MRI taken Friday, Jan. 9 revealed that Davis, 32, suffered ligament damage in his left hand, the team said in a press release. The Mavericks added that Davis is seeking multiple opinions.
ESPN was the first to report newsof the diagnosis and said the injury may require surgery, potentially forcing him to miss several months.
Davis suffered the injury Thursday, Jan. 8 in agame against the Utah Jazz. It came late in the fourth quarter of the game, an eventual 116-114 Utah victory,when Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen drove to the basketalong the right baseline. Davis went to defend Markkanen and when the two made contact, Davis immediately favored his left hand.
He briefly remained in the game but was then later substituted.
At the time he left the game, Davis had scored 21 points on 10-of-20 shooting, adding 11 rebounds and 4 assists.
Anthony Davis seemly hurt his left hand on this drive.pic.twitter.com/eWVOz5IKvl
— Ron Harrod Jr. (@RonKnowsSports)January 9, 2026
For Davis and the Mavericks, it's another frustrating setback that has kept him from assimilating with the team; earlier this season, Davis dealt with a lower foot and Achilles injury that also sidelined him for a few weeks.Dallas traded for Davis in February 2025as part of the deal that shippedLuka Dončićto theLos Angeles Lakers.
Since acquiring him, Davis has played only 29 out of 80 games.
The Mavericks have struggled amid injuries to Davis and veteran point guard Kyrie Irving, who suffereda torn anterior cruciate ligament in March 2025. That has leftNo. 1 overall rookie Cooper Flaggto carry the Mavericks. Flagg only recently turned 19 years old and has a diverse skill set, but his effectiveness has been limited at times when opposing teams have focused their energy on limiting him as Davis and Irving have been sidelined.
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Complicating this further, Davis had been expected to be a potential trade target, as the Mavericks are undergoing something of a rebuild. The teamfired former general manager Nico HarrisonNov. 11, 2025, and Davis' age and salary may not align with Dallas' long-term plans to compete.
The NBA trade deadline is Feb. 5; given the projected timeline of Davis' injury, that likely means he will remain sidelined beyond the deadline.
In 20 games this season, Davis is averaging 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Anthony Davis hand injury: Mavs star could miss months, need surgery
