So much for the Toronto Raptors' interest in trading for Anthony Davis, as ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Friday that the big man "sustained ligament damage in his left hand." Davis is still waiting to learn if he'll need surgery, meaning he could be out for several months.
He suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of the Mavericks' loss to the Jazz on Thursday. ESPN reported that if he doesn't need surgery, Davis is "expected" to miss at least six weeks. So, even the best-case scenario would sideline AD past the Feb. 5 deadline.
Toronto and Atlanta have been the top two teams linked to Davis, and The Athletic reported that he's "amenable" to a trade to either squad.
Dallas hadn't made AD available on the trade market, at least not yet, as the Mavericks wanted to see him, Cooper Flagg, and Kyrie Irving play together first. There is no guarantee that would've happened this season, even if Davis hadn't gotten hurt, as Irving may not play at all.
Now, Dallas will likely be stuck with AD for the remainder of the season. Toronto could pivot its interest to Domantas Sabonis, another player the organization has registered interest in.
Raptors trade target Anthony Davis could miss several months with injury
No one wanted to see AD go down with this kind of injury, potentially ending his 2025-26 season, but it could've saved Toronto from making a decision it'd regret. The temptation of adding a player like Davis to the roster in a weakened conference might've been too much for the Raptors to ignore, even though it'd come at a high cost.
Not only is he making $54.1 million this season, $58.5 million the next, and has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28, but AD is eligible to sign a lucrative extension this summer. It's a little hard to believe he's open to the idea of a trade to the Raptors, but it could have something to do with getting the payday he wants. None of that could matter now.
The Mavericks are learning yet again why trading for Davis, no matter how good he is when healthy, doesn't automatically mean you'll contend for a title. You can't count on him to stay on the court.
Hopefully, AD won't need to undergo surgery and will play again this season. We know now that it probably won't be for the Raptors.