Anthony Davis Injury Update Fuels Mavericks Trade Talk

Merlin sees Anthony Davis escaped a scare six weeks before the trade deadline. The groin problem from the Christmas Day loss was a minor strain and he should miss only a few games after the Mavericks called it "right groin spasms," Shams Charania reports. That matters because Davis is a "significant trade target" but has played just 25 of 65 games since arriving in Dallas, and teams like Toronto, Atlanta and Detroit are cautious given his contract and recent injury history. Merlin knows talent when he sees it. Davis is an impact two way player at his best, but durability and a large contract make him a hard sell. With Dallas at 12 20 and Cooper Flagg emerging, the club must choose between waiting on Davis or turning him into pieces that fit Flagg's timeline.