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Mavs Notes: Edwards, Martin, Smith, Davis, Hardy, Jones

March 19th, 2025 at 11:00am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks forward Kessler Edwards, who is on a two-way contract with the team, wasn’t expected to play a whole lot at the NBA level this season. However, due to all the injuries in Dallas, Edwards has been thrust into a key role in recent weeks.

The 24-year-old has started 13 of the club’s past 16 games, primarily at center, and has acquitted himself well as a small-ball five. In his past six outings, he has averaged 12.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game, with a shooting line of .558/.556/.900. According to Edwards, adjusting to a new role hasn’t been overwhelming.

“I think just IQ is the main thing—learning how to play not only with these guys, but within the certain role they have me in,” Edwards told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda. “Just knowing what to do with the ball, how to play in different ways, and learning how to make the right decisions on the floor.”

As important as Edwards has become in Dallas, the clock is ticking on his ability to play at the NBA level. He’s just two games from reaching the limit of 50 active games for two-way players. Promoting him to the standard 15-man roster would make him eligible to play in every remaining game, including potential play-in contests, but that won’t be an option for the Mavericks until April 10 due to their hard-cap restrictions.

“Honestly, I try not to think about that too much,” Edwards said of his fast-approaching 50-game limit. “I’m just thankful for the games I’ve been able to play with this group. I’m just thankful for that opportunity.”

Here’s more on the Mavericks:

The Caleb Martin/Quentin Grimes trade hasn’t worked out so far for the Mavericks, as Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News details. Grimes has been playing some of the best basketball of his life in Philadelphia, while Martin has been limited to just five appearances for Dallas due to ongoing hip issues. According to Curtis, Martin is still trying to make an impact from the bench when he’s not available, calling attention to trends and defensive schemes. “I’ve always been the type that if I see something, I say something,” Martin said. “I just feel like that’s a way I can impact the game, whether I’m playing or not.”
Speaking to Grant Afseth for RG.org, former NBA first-round pick Zhaire Smith expressed gratitude for the opportunity he has gotten with the Texas Legends, noting that they’ve “welcomed me with open arms.” In addition to discussing his experience with the Mavericks’ G League affiliate, Smith talked about scrimmaging alongside Mavs players rehabbing from injuries, including Anthony Davis. “I think we’re going to do it again sometime this week,” Smith said, indicating that another brief G League assignment could be in store for Davis.
The Mavs could have as many as 10 players available on Wednesday in Indiana. In addition to their seven healthy players, they’ve listed Jaden Hardy (right ankle sprain), Kai Jones (left quad strain), and Brandon Williams (left hamstring tightness) as questionable to play. Marc Stein reported earlier this week that Hardy and Jones, both of whom have missed seven consecutive games, have a chance to return on Wednesday.
While this is just my speculation, it wouldn’t be a shock if the Mavericks hold Williams out of tonight’s game if both Hardy and Jones are able to suit up. That would allow the team to avoid using up another of Williams’ active games — he only has five remaining on his two-way contract.

Southwest Notes: Morant, Hardy, Jones, Rockets, Spurs

March 17th, 2025 at 4:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has been playing some of his best basketball of the season this month, averaging 31.3 points per game on 52.4% shooting in his past six outings. However, the two-time All-Star continues to be bothered by nagging injuries.

After missing Saturday’s win over Miami due to right shoulder soreness, which has been a recurring issue this season, Morant has been ruled out of the Grizzlies’ contest in Sacramento on Monday due to left hamstring soreness, tweets Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. It will be the 26th game that Morant missed this season and the fifth time that he has been sidelined for multiple consecutive games.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

The banged-up Mavericks could get some injury reinforcements soon, according to NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link). Stein has heard that Jaden Hardy (right ankle sprain) and Kai Jones (left quad strain) are “in contention” to be activated for Wednesday’s game in Indiana. Hardy and Anthony Davis have been recalled from the G League after being assigned to the Texas Legends earlier today to practice (Twitter link).
Kelly Iko and Danny Leroux of The Athletic take a closer look at the Rockets‘ cap situation, exploring what the team might do this offseason with Fred VanVleet, whose contract includes a $44.9MM team option for 2025/26. Turning down that option and signing VanVleet to a new multiyear deal with a smaller first-year salary might be in the best interests of the Rockets while also benefiting VanVleet, who is 31 years old and may not have many more chances to earn a significant payday.
The Spurs will be without their top two players – Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox – for the rest of the season, but acting head coach Mitch Johnson doesn’t intend to use injuries as an excuse as his team has slid down the standings to No. 13 in the West. “I don’t think it’s bad luck. I think it’s the league,” Johnson said of the Spurs’ health issues, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. “Twenty-five teams are probably going through this. … Every now and then you have a team that has one of those years and kind of stays healthy, no unexpected circumstances. We have had stuff this year. So have a lot of teams we’ve played. No one cares. No one feels sorry for you.”

Anthony Davis To Begin Practicing With G League Team

March 17th, 2025 at 11:08am CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks have assigned Anthony Davis and Jaden Hardy to their G League affiliate, the Texas Legends. The team wants Davis to get some five-on-five work as he prepares for a possible return to action, explains Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link).

Davis will practice today and is “very eager” about the prospect of playing again sometime this season, league sources tell NBA insider Marc Stein (Twitter link). However, the decision to bring back Davis hasn’t been made yet because of the risk of aggravating his injury, Stein adds.

Davis was the centerpiece of the controversial deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers shortly before the trade deadline. Davis got off to a promising start in Dallas, but he suffered a left adductor strain in the third quarter of his February 8 debut and hasn’t been able to play since then.

Head coach Jason Kidd said recently that Davis “continues to trend in the right direction,” and this is further evidence that his comeback may not be far away. The Mavericks badly need reinforcements as they had just eight active players for Sunday’s loss to Philadelphia, and their two-way players are nearing the end of their eligibility.

Davis was in the midst of another exceptional season in L.A. before the trade, averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 52.8% from the field. He was selected to the All-Star Game for the 10th time, although he wasn’t able to play because of a previous injury.

Hardy, a third-year shooting guard, has been sidelined since March 3 because of a right ankle sprain. He’ll provide another long-distance threat for the Mavericks whenever he’s able to return, as he’s averaging 8.0 PPG and shooting 38.4% from three-point range.

Having Davis and Hardy back would greatly improve Dallas’ chances of holding onto 10th place in the West and earning a spot in the postseason. The Mavs have lost three straight games and eight of their last nine and lead 11th-place Phoenix by just a game and a half.

Injury Notes: Washington, Ball, Thybulle, Kaminsky

March 16th, 2025 at 10:12am CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks forward P.J. Washington is not listed on the injury report ahead of Sunday’s game vs. Philadelphia, so he appears on track to return after missing the past seven games with a right ankle sprain, tweets Christian Clark of The Athletic.

It’s certainly welcome news for Dallas, which has been absolutely devastated by injuries over the past several weeks. Even with Washington back, the Mavs will still be shorthanded, as Kyrie Irving (torn ACL), Olivier Maxence-Prosper (shoulder surgery), Dante Exum (broken hand), Anthony Davis (left adductor strain), Dereck Lively (right ankle stress fracture) and Daniel Gafford (right knee sprain) are out.

Jaden Hardy is doubtful for Sunday’s game as he continues to deal with a right ankle sprain, while Kai Jones (left quad strain) and Caleb Martin (left hip strain) are questionable. Brandon Williams, who is on a two-way deal, is probable with left hamstring tightness, per the league’s official injury report.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

Bulls guard Lonzo Ball missed 15 games earlier in 2024/25 due to a right wrist injury. He reinjured the wrist at the end of February, causing him to miss the past seven games, and he’ll likely miss at least five more, as he didn’t travel with the team during its West Coast trip, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “I haven’t heard anything about him being shut down,” head coach Billy Donovan said Saturday. “I think what he’s doing right now is just trying to get himself back to playing. Doctors aren’t saying, ‘Hey, listen, you gotta sit out.’ It’s just when he feels that he can do things on the court that he’s comfortable with. Like he can’t shoot right now, hasn’t been able to do that . . . passing and dribbling. Until that subsides, then he’ll be out, but I think he, in my conversations with him, it’s been everything to try to get back to playing. No one has said to me from above, ‘Hey, this goes on a little longer, we’re going to have him shut down.’ I have not heard that.”
Trail Blazers wing Matisse Thybulle underwent a procedure in October, just before the start of the regular season, to address inflammation in his right knee. It wasn’t supposed to sideline him for a significant period, but he sustained a bad right ankle sprain in late November during his ramp-up process, which set back his recovery. “I’ve talked to so many people about it now, and the overarching sentiment is that with ankle sprains this bad, sometimes it’s better to just break it than to sprain it,” Thybulle said, per Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link). “Because the recovery time with all the ligaments that were torn takes so long. With a bone, it can just heal back up and it’s just as strong. It was a whole process. And then to have it happen in conjunction with a different injury … You start with the knee, and then hurt the ankle as bad as I did, and have those things be married as one giant injury to be dealt with. It made it quite the process.” Thybulle was technically active for the first time this season on Wednesday vs. New York, but he didn’t end up playing. Head coach Chauncey Billups said the two-time All-Defensive member’s role is up in the air for the final 15 games of ’24/25, according to Highkin.
Former NBA big man Frank Kaminsky, who spent training camp with Phoenix last fall before being cut, will miss the remainder of the NBA G League season, reports Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link). Kaminsky, who had been playing for the Raptors 905 until recently, is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee.

Mavs Notes: Hardy, Davis, Martin, Jones, Jensen

March 4th, 2025 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks‘ injury report went from bad to worse on Tuesday when word broke that Kyrie Irving has sustained a torn ACL in his left knee and will miss the rest of the 2024/25 season. That’s not the only concerning injury news that has come out of Dallas today.

According to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), the Mavs are expecting to be without reserve guard Jaden Hardy for “a period of time” after he sprained his right ankle in Monday’s loss to Sacramento. That update is pretty vague, but it suggests that Hardy’s injury is more than just a day-to-day issue.

Meanwhile, we’re still a couple days away from the date when Anthony Davis (adductor strain) is due to be reevaluated, but Shams Charania of ESPN offered an ominous update during an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, suggesting that there are some “very hard conversations” on tap for Davis and his representatives (Twitter video link). According to Charania, “it’s not out of the realm of possibility” that the big man doesn’t play again this season.

Amid the Mavericks’ flurry of injuries, head coach Jason Kidd said after Monday’s loss that he’s doing his best to make sure his team can “hold it together,” per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News.

“It seems every time we’re getting close to getting someone back, someone goes down,” Kidd said. “… We’re running out of bodies here, but guys keep fighting.”

We have more on the Mavericks:

There’s one bit of positive injury news for the Mavs on Tuesday. As Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal relays (via Twitter), Caleb Martin has been assigned to the G League, which is another sign that he’s getting close to returning from the right hip strain that has kept him on the shelf since January 10. Martin has been able to take part in contact practices in recent days, as we noted on Monday.
Kai Jones had a strong debut for Dallas on Monday after signing a two-way contract earlier in the day. The 24-year-old big man scored a career-high 21 points on 9-of-10 shooting and grabbed a season-high eight rebounds in nearly 34 minutes. Jones is eligible to be active for up to 12 games on his two-way deal, but Kidd sounds prepared to take advantage of all of those games, as Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com writes. “It’s always good to have flexibility, just in case you have to pivot,” Kidd said. “To get someone like Kai on a two-way is important for the 12 games we have him for. He’s got a great group of guys around him. We need him to play. He’s another seven-footer, which we need. We have had success in these type situations before.”
Mavericks assistant Alex Jensen has emerged as one of the top candidates for the head coaching vacancy at the University of Utah, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. Jensen played college basketball for the Utes in 1994/95 and – following a two-year hiatus – from 1997-2000.

Kyrie Irving Suffers Left Knee Injury

March 3rd, 2025 at 10:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

[Update: Upon further evaluation, Irving’s knee injury has been diagnosed as a season-ending ACL tear.]

Mavericks star guard Kyrie Irving suffered a left knee sprain in Monday’s game against Sacramento, according to ESPN News Services.

The injury occurred during the first quarter. Irving drove between defenders DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas in the lane and fell to the court. He grabbed at his left knee and was down face-first for a few minutes.

DeRozan was called for a reach-in foul on the play and Irving managed to make two free throws before being helped to the locker room.

It’s another brutal blow for the Mavericks, who have been hit by a wave of injuries since the controversial trade of Luka Doncic. Anthony Davis suffered an adductor strain in his first game with Dallas and remains sidelined. Dereck Lively, Daniel Gafford and Caleb Martin are also on the mend.

Irving came into the contest averaging 25.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 49 games. He’s reached the 30-point mark in five games since the Doncic trade.

To make matters worse, Jaden Hardy exited the game during the second half with a right ankle sprain, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal tweets. The Mavs were blown out, 122-98.

If Irving needs to miss significant time, Spencer Dinwiddie will likely absorb the bulk of his minutes.

Mavs Notes: Edwards, Prosper, Klay, Hardy, Exum, Kleber

January 24th, 2025 at 5:13pm CST by Luke Adams

With the Mavericks missing several important contributors due to injuries, head coach Jason Kidd told reporters on Wednesday that the team’s “young players are going to get a lot of reps,” as Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News writes.

Kidd made good on that promise on Thursday. On the second end of a back-to-back set, facing the top-seeded Thunder in Oklahoma City, two-way player Kessler Edwards started and played a season-high 23 minutes, while second-year forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper saw 21 minutes off the bench.

Dallas was outscored by eight points with Prosper on the court and by seven points during Edwards’ minutes, but the duo helped keep the banged-up club in the game, combining for 21 points on 6-of-9 shooting, along with seven rebounds and a pair of steals. With veterans Kyrie Irving (24 points), P.J. Washington (22 points), and Spencer Dinwiddie (28 points) doing the rest of the heavy lifting, the Mavs picked up an impressive 121-115 victory.

“I thought this was a character win, maybe the best win of the season,” Kidd said, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “Shorthanded, next-man-up mentality.”

While the Thunder have looked like the class of the Western Conference this season, the Mavs seem to have their number. After knocking Oklahoma City out of the playoffs last spring, Dallas has gone 3-1 against the conference leaders this season. OKC is 35-5 against everyone else.

“To go against this team four times and come out 3-1, that’s where I feel like we laid our hat on,” Irving said, according to Sefko. “So we know we can play with the best. Now we got to build on that consistency. The last few games, we have not been as consistent as we’d like. (It was a) gutsy win.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Of Dallas’ many injured players, Klay Thompson (left ankle sprain) and Jaden Hardy (right ankle sprain) appear the closest to returning. They’ve been listed as questionable for Saturday’s game vs. Boston, tweets Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. Naji Marshall (illness) and Dwight Powell (right hip strain) are still listed as out and will miss a third and fourth consecutive game, respectively, joining Luka Doncic, Dereck Lively, and Dante Exum on the injured list.
Although Exum has been shooting and ramping up his activity, his return is still a long ways off, Kidd said on Thursday (Twitter link via Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News). The veteran guard has been recovering from wrist surgery since October and has yet to make his season debut.
According to Kidd, the Mavericks’ training staff currently has big man Maxi Kleber on a restriction of 20 minutes per game. Kleber’s importance has increased with Lively on the shelf for the foreseeable future, but after dealing with an oblique issue near the start of the month, he hasn’t logged more than 20:14 in a game since January 7.

Mavericks Notes: Injuries, Irving, Gafford, Exum, Washington

January 20th, 2025 at 8:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The shorthanded Mavericks lost to Charlotte, 110-105, on Monday afternoon and have now lost nine of their last 12 games, all with Luka Doncic sidelined by a calf strain.

Dereck Lively (right ankle sprain) was downgraded from questionable to out earlier in the day, while Quentin Grimes (back spasms) was a late scratch, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal notes. Jaden Hardy (right ankle sprain), Dwight Powell (right hip strain) and Dante Exum (right wrist surgery) have been out for an extended period.

“It would be nice at this point in the season to have everyone healthy,” said Kyrie Irving, who recently returned from a back injury. “I’ve missed 10 games, and that’s not something I set as a goal for myself coming into the season. I want to play as many games as possible. But with my MRI coming back on my back and D. Live going down, Luka going down, J. Hardy going down, and other people missing games, it’s unfortunate.”

We have more on the Mavericks:

Daniel Gafford‘s career-high 31 points, 15 rebounds, and seven blocks went to waste on Monday. “Yeah, I’m frustrated when you get a game like that, but you don’t come out with a win,” Gafford said after the game, per Afseth. “It’s pretty frustrating, but I don’t really want to, you know, be too selfish. You know, I felt like we did a lot of things great out there on the floor to put us in a position to win the game.” The team is reportedly willing to trade Gafford for a top-level perimeter defender.
Speaking of Exum, coach Jason Kidd said the veteran guard has been shooting, but he’s “still a ways away” before a timetable can be established regarding a return to action, Afseth tweets. Exum has yet to make his season debut after appearing in 55 regular season games last season. He underwent his wrist surgery in October.
P.J. Washington is averaging 32.5 minutes per game, more than any other Dallas player not named Doncic or Irving. Washington’s defensive versatility is an essential element, Christian Clark of The Athletic writes. He’ll continue to draw the toughest assignments, even if the front office makes a trade to improve the perimeter defense. “I feel like I can guard anybody,” Washington said. “I feel like I’m comfortable guarding smalls, bigs, it doesn’t really matter.”

Mavericks Notes: Hardy, Dinwiddie, Grimes, Irving, Doncic, Exum

January 11th, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Jaden Hardy is giving the Mavericks the offensive lift they need with their two stars sidelined by injuries, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The third-year guard is coming off a season-high 25-point performance in Thursday’s win over Portland, and Curtis notes that since December 28, Hardy is leading the NBA in three-point field goal percentage at 55.6%.

“He’s starting to get into a groove,” coach Jason Kidd said. “You see that on the offensive end. Defensively, he’s competing and giving it everything we’re asking him to do. … I think the more minutes he’s playing, he’s becoming more comfortable with what we’re asking him to do. We need that with everybody out.”

Hardy is becoming the scoring threat the Mavs envisioned when they gave him a three-year, $18MM extension in October. He has scored in double figures in the last five games — the longest stretch of his career — and Dallas is 10-4 when he posts at least 10 points.

“Just sticking to what I’ve been doing,” Hardy said. “Extra work. Extra film. Asking the coaches questions. ‘What can I do better to help the team?’ Just trying to bring energy whenever I get out there and bring a spark.”

There’s more from Dallas:

Spencer Dinwiddie has also been playing an important role while Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are out of action, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. Dinwiddie, who has become the primary lead guard, had 17 points, five rebounds and five assists against Portland after compiling 19 points, six rebounds and eight assists Tuesday against the Lakers. “The pick and roll, the tempo of getting downhill, the ball touching the paint and being able to make plays,” Kidd said in describing what Dinwiddie brings to the offense. “We need that while those two are out, and even when those two come back we need him to continue to play that way.”
Quentin Grimes talks to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link) about a number of topics, including the adjustments he needed to make after being traded from Detroit to Dallas over the summer. “Being on a new team, I’ve had to learn the system and all the nuances defensively,” he said. “I try to keep everyone focused on building good habits, even when things are going well. We want to be in the playoffs and compete for a championship, so I’m trying to help keep us on that path.”
Irving is making progress in his recovery from a bulging disc in his back and was able to do some spot-shooting drills after today’s practice, Afseth adds in a separate story. Doncic did some light shooting without jumping, but Kidd cautioned that there are several steps to be cleared before a timetable can be set for his return. Kidd is optimistic about Dante Exum, who has been sidelined since hurting his right wrist in training camp. “He’s doing a great job with his rehab,” Kidd said. “I think he’s out to the three-point line shooting now, so a lot of positives there. And then it’s just a matter of getting the scheduled appointment to check to see how the wrist is doing and then go from there. But he’s in great shape. He’s done a lot of solo workouts.”

Doncic Has Wrist Injury, Out At Least One Week

November 21st, 2024 at 9:37am CST by Dana Gauruder

10:06am: Doncic underwent an MRI which revealed a right wrist sprain, the team’s PR department tweets.

9:37am: Add Luka Doncic to the list of superstar players missing multiple games this season due to an injury.

Doncic is dealing with a right wrist injury and will be reevaluated in a week, Marc Stein reports (Twitter link).

The Mavericks guard was wearing a wrap around his wrist when he met the media after Tuesday’s game against New Orleans, Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal notes (Twitter link). Doncic scored 26 points in 30 minutes during that victory over New Orleans.

“I started feeling it in the first quarter, but then it just got worse, but nothing serious,” Doncic said when asked about his wrist injury.

Doncic didn’t practice on Wednesday. He is averaging 28.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists per game this season.

Dallas had just started to hit its stride, winning three straight contests heading into a three-game road trip. The Mavericks’ next game is at Denver on Friday. They also have games on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, so Doncic will miss at least four contests.

Jaden Hardy, Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie could all see increased playing time in his absence.