Dallas Mavericks star forward Anthony Davis will likely undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand and miss several months, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday.
Anthony Davis Still A Trade Candidate
A source also told Charania that the injury has “renewed Davis trade talks with multiple interested teams” since there’s a chance he could return during the playoffs.
Davis, 32, previously left the Mavericks’ 116-114 loss to the Utah Jazz on Jan. 8 due to the left hand injury and did not return. He appeared to injure his hand while he was defending Lauri Markkanen on a drive.
The 6-foot-10 wing exited the game with 2:08 remaining and did not return. He was reportedly “doubled over in pain” in the tunnel of the arena, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
Dallas Mavericks' Anthony Davis is likely to undergo surgery to repair ligament damage in his left hand and miss several months, sources tell ESPN. His Dallas season is essentially over, given the prognosis and the Mavs' direction. pic.twitter.com/lwa7o1VcpF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 13, 2026
Davis later underwent an MRI that revealed ligament damage.
Although Davis is a 10-time All-Star and a five-time All-NBA member, his extensive injury history and three-year, $175.36 million max contract have to be deterring some potential trade suitors.
Davis was linked to the Raptors and Hawks before the hand injury announcement was made.
Davis Responds To Report, Trade Rumors
Davis took to social media on Tuesday to address “lies” regarding his hand injury and trade rumors. Shortly after Charania’s report, the Chicago native posted this message on X:
Yall better stop listening to all these lies on these apps!
— Anthony Davis (@AntDavis23) January 13, 2026
Davis also responded to a post about his surgery and timeline for return by writing, “Lies!”
Lies!
— Anthony Davis (@AntDavis23) January 13, 2026
It’s unclear whether the Mavs will be able to trade Davis before the Feb. 5 deadline. There are a few teams interested in the 14-year veteran, but their intrigue could dwindle in the weeks ahead.
Injuries Ended Davis’ Mavericks Tenure
Since arriving in Dallas as the centerpiece of the controversial Luka Doncic trade at last February’s trade deadline, Davis has dealt with multiple injuries that have limited him to just 29 total regular-season games.
In addition to the hand injury, Davis also suffered an adductor strain in his Mavericks debut last season that sidelined him for 18 games. He then missed 14 consecutive games this season due to a left calf strain.
Davis also left a nationally televised matchup with the Warriors on Christmas Day because of right adductor soreness, which sidelined him the final two games of 2025.
The Mavs reportedly plan to build around Rookie of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg. This June’s NBA draft is the last one in which Dallas has control of its first-round pick until 2031, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Through 20 appearances (all starts) this season, Davis has averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, 1.7 blocks, and 31.3 minutes per game while shooting 50.6% from the field and 27% from 3-point range.
The Mavs are 10-10 with Davis in the lineup this season but just 5-15 when he’s unavailable. Head coach Jason Kidd was unsure of the return timetable for the former No. 1 overall pick.
