Although the Los Angeles Lakers gave Nico Harrison something to smile about after falling in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves, there is still suffocating pressure on the Dallas Mavericks to succeed moving forward. The burden rests heaviest on the organization's shoulders, but Anthony Davis, the main piece the Mavs received from LA in exchange for Luka Doncic, is also under the microscope.
Fair or not, fans will compare his impact to that of the 2023-24 NBA scoring king. Harrison wagered a big chunk of the franchise's future in large part because he believes the two-way star can lift Dallas over the top. While there is talent throughout the roster, Davis is now the Mavericks' cornerstone, at least for the next two to three years. That type of label comes with the expectation that he will be both durable and highly productive.
The team's prospects for success could significantly depend on how the 2020 champion and four-time All-NBA First-Team selection performs. Davis' agent, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul, does not think the situation is so simple, though. He is putting much of the onus on management.
“That's not on the players,” Paul told senior NBA insider Chris Haynes on “Haynes Briefs,” when asked if there is pressure on Doncic and Davis to deliver for their respective teams following the historic midseason trade. “Both guys can go out and score 30 and 40 and 50… it's the race of the front offices, right? Who's going to make the proper moves for each one of those guys to be successful?
“As much as you want to lean on how great an individual was and or is, you also have to factor in the decision-makers to help place the proper pieces around them. Yeah we're going to always have the conversations about the top players, and it should be about the top players, but you always have to look into what takes place.”
Do the Mavericks need to get Anthony Davis more reinforcements?
Related Dallas Mavericks NewsArticle continues below
Paul knows what his job is as a prominent sports agent. He also knows what has been going on in Dallas since February. When in doubt, put the blame on Nico Harrison. The fifth-year GM and former Nike executive has become a popular punching bag. His decision to trade a five-time All-NBA First-Teamer who just led the Mavs to the NBA Finals, along with his polarizing explanations for making the deal, has made him the most ridiculed man in the city.
However, if Davis can stay on the court, and the injured Kyrie Irving fully recovers from the torn ACL he suffered in early March, the roster will look quite impressive. And regardless of how the public currently feels about him, that is a testament to the acquisitions Harrison made over the last two years.
Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II join Anthony Davis in comprising an imposing frontcourt. P.J. Washington provides a valuable supplemental scoring punch, future Hall of Famer Klay Thompson is still a 39 percent 3-point shooter despite his obvious decline and Naji Marshall offers crucial intensity.
Yes more depth is needed and Quentin Grimes would be a good player to have right now– Harrison dealt him and a second-round pick for Caleb Martin — but the Mavericks possess a plethora of offensive and defensive talent. While they require far more luck than what they experienced this past season, Davis could have a fair amount of help during the 2025-26 campaign.
The 10-time All-Star big man was tapped to be the future of the Lakers. Now, he must be the top guy in Dallas. If Davis effectively carries that mantle, at least in the short term, fans should get to watch a competitive basketball product. And as painful as it may seem, that might be the best you can ask for at this current moment.
