The Mavericks could finally get the break they’ve been searching for as Anthony Davis is set to return to practice on Wednesday for the first time since suffering a calf strain on Oct. 29.
Davis’s return to practice will likely set him up to be cleared for action, NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Tuesday. Dallas plays on Friday vs. Davis’s former team, the Lakers. That would be quite the matchup to return for as the Lakers notably traded Davis to Dallas in February in return for Luka Dončić.
“He’s worked extremely hard,” coach Jason Kidd said on Monday night. “The next step is practice on Wednesday, and we’ll see what happens after that.”
Davis has missed 13 consecutive games with the calf strain, an injury that was first projected to have him miss just two contests. In just five games this season, Davis has averaged 20.8 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists.
A lot has changed in the organization during Davis’s absence. For starters, the Mavericks have posted a 3–10 record without Davis on the court, putting them at 5–14 on the season. The biggest news, though, is the team firing general manager Nico Harrison earlier this month—that move felt like a long time coming.
In the midst of Harrison leaving the franchise, rumors have popped up regarding a potential Davis trade this season. Minority owner Mark Davis claims the team has no intentions of trading Davis away, though. ESPN’s Shams Charania later reported that the Mavericks are open to listening to trade calls about Davis. We’ll see what happens to him this season. First, he has to return to the court.