DALLAS — Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont requested medical data indicating Anthony Davis is not at risk of worsening a left calf strain before giving the go-ahead for the 10-time All-Star big man’s return, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
Davis is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s home game against the Phoenix Suns. It is the third straight game he has received this designation on the injury report, but he will miss his seventh straight game.
He was originally targeted to return for Saturday’s road game against the Washington Wizards, but there was disagreement between Mavs director of health and performance Johann Bilsboro and Davis’ personal medical staff over whether that was wise, sources said. Sources said Davis held out after Dumont sided with Bilsboro, preferring to err on the side of caution.
Dumont’s involvement in the decision was a strong indication of the erosion of his confidence in general manager Nico Harrison, who was sacked on Tuesday morning. Sources said Harrison was supportive of Davis’ return.
There are concerns that Davis could sustain a potentially catastrophic injury if the calf strain is not fully healed, as happened with Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, who ruptured his Achilles tendon in Game 7 of the NBA Finals.
Davis has played in just 14 games, plus two starts, since arriving in Dallas as a key piece in the controversial Luka Doncic comeback trade that angered the Mavericks fan base.
Davis was recovering from an abdominal injury at the time of the trade, and was rushed back for the team’s first home game after the trade, where he pulled his adductor muscle after dominating the first half of a Feb. 8 win over the Houston Rockets. That close strain sidelined Davis for the next six weeks.
