Dallas Mavericks Anthony Davis Out With Hand Ligament Damage Injury Update

Dallas Mavericks big man Anthony Davis is facing an indefinite spell out after suffering ligament damage in the left hand, creating fresh uncertainty for a struggling team already outside the playoff places and still dealing with the fallout from last season’s blockbuster trade.

The Mavericks confirmed on Friday that an MRI scan showed the ligament injury, suffered late in a 116-114 defeat at the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. Davis left the bench in visible discomfort before heading to the locker room and is now seeking several medical opinions on possible treatment plans.

Davis’ latest setback arrives with Dallas 10 games below .500 and out of the playoff picture, less than two years after reaching the NBA Finals. A significant absence could extend beyond the 5 February trade deadline, affecting both on-court plans and ongoing speculation about another potential Davis trade, which has largely assumed full fitness.

The 32-year-old is averaging 20.4 points and 11.1 rebounds per game, underlining how central the role is within the Mavericks’ system. However, availability has been a persistent issue, raising questions about reliability at a crucial point in the season and adding pressure on the coaching staff to adjust rotations and tactics again.

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Dallas acquired Davis last February while the star was already managing an abdominal issue, in a headline trade that sent young superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Davis aggravated that same abdominal problem in the first game for Dallas and then missed the following 18 fixtures.

The pattern has continued this season. Davis sat out 18 of the Mavericks’ first 38 games because of calf and groin problems. The wider trade fallout also reshaped the front office, with general manager Nico Harrison, who engineered the deal, dismissed in November after a poor start heightened scrutiny on roster-building decisions.

The latest on Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis' injury for @SportsCenter with @KevinNegandhi: pic.twitter.com/Ns11GHBBfq Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 9, 2026

The combination of the ligament damage, Davis’ long-running fitness concerns and the Mavericks’ poor record leaves Dallas facing another period of adjustment. Medical assessments over the coming days and weeks will determine how long Davis is unavailable and how strongly the franchise can respond before and after the 5 February deadline.