Doncic has evolved again after losing weight. On the other hand, he has thick eyebrows but a bloated body&, and his attendance rate is not even half of it.

Translator's Note: This article was originally published by The Athletic, written by Christian Clark. The data in the article are as of the time of publication of the original article (November 7, local time). The opinions in the article have nothing to do with the translator and the platform.

According to the lineup announced by the Mavericks in September, Davis weighed 268 pounds (approximately 121.5 kg) when he entered training camp, 15 pounds (approximately 6.8 kg) more than his registered weight last season. In this regard, Davis explained that he did not want to start training camp at his ideal competition weight because once the season starts, "I will lose 10 to 12 pounds (about 4.5 to 5.4 kilograms) very quickly."

In the Mavericks' first four games, Davis' statistical performance was impressive, but multiple scouts and coaches from opposing teams revealed to The Athletic that they felt Davis was not moving as fast as usual. Subsequently, when the Mavericks ended their five-game home schedule to start the season on October 29, Davis limped off the field in the first quarter. The team subsequently reported that he had a strained left calf.

The irony of this series of events—a Mavericks star player who was overweight at the start of the season and then suffered a calf strain—has not gone unnoticed in NBA circles. In the nine months since joining Dallas, Davis has experienced three different injuries, namely adductor strain, retinal detachment and this time a calf strain. That adds to growing concerns about the Mavericks' plan to rebuild the roster around a player who turns 33 in March and has been plagued by attendance issues throughout his career.

Last season, Luka Doncic was asked to take a truce by the team to improve his physical fitness due to poor physical condition (although the Mavericks officially called it a wrist injury), but he suffered a left calf strain on December 25. This incident permanently changed the trajectory of the Mavericks team. Doncic's calf strain was more serious than Davis's, and he had to leave the arena on crutches on the day of the injury. About six weeks later, the Mavericks traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for trade chips centered on Davis.

So far, Davis has only played 14 games with the Mavericks, but has missed 26 games. On February 8, he suffered a left adductor strain in his first game with the team and missed 18 consecutive games. A calf strain has caused him to miss three games this season, and the number of missed games is still increasing.

The Mavericks have a record of 2 wins and 6 losses so far this season, and a record of 1 win and 2 losses without Davis. The team is understandably taking a cautious approach to its comeback. In June of this year, Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton became the latest player to pay a heavy price due to injury. He tried to endure a calf strain in Game 7 of the Finals and eventually tore his Achilles tendon.

In 13 full seasons in the NBA, Davis missed an average of 19.8 games per season. The two seasons in which he was most severely affected by injuries happened to be after helping the Lakers win the championship in 2020. In the 2020-21 season, Davis missed 36 games due to right calf strain and other reasons; in the 2021-22 season, he missed 42 games due to left knee medial collateral ligament sprain and right foot sprain. In addition, he missed 31 games last season due to abdominal and adductor strains.

In April of this year, The Athletic asked Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison how much the team considered Davis' attendance before finalizing the deal.

"When you trade a player of Luka's caliber, you never take it lightly," Harrison said, "but we firmly believe that defense is our signature and our foundation. When the opportunity came up to acquire one of the top two-way players in the league, we decisively seized the opportunity."

Harrison also mentioned at the same press conference that he believed Davis' adductor injury did not require surgery in the offseason. However, Davis eventually underwent surgery to repair a detached retina in his right eye. He said the injury was caused by teammate Daniel Gafford accidentally hitting him in the face. The Mavericks did not provide many relevant details, but at the media day in September, Davis revealed that he will need to wear protective glasses for the rest of his career in accordance with medical advice.

Doncic was only 25 years old when Davis was originally traded. Despite his young age, Dallas decision-makers believe his prime may be behind him. As The Athletic previously reported, Mavericks management believes Doncic's body may decline sooner than many expect.

What is worthy of recognition is that Doncic successfully lost weight this past summer. In July, he appeared on the cover of "Men's Health" magazine, and his figure returned to the strong state when he joined Dallas. While playing for the Lakers this season, Doncic averaged an astonishing 40 points, 11 rebounds and 9.2 assists per game. However, he missed three games due to a sprained finger and leg contusion, and another game due to injury management.

This transaction caused Doncic to lose a huge amount of income. If he stayed in Dallas, he would have been eligible to sign a five-year supermax contract estimated to be worth $345 million. But in August this year, he reached a three-year contract extension agreement with the Lakers worth $165 million.

Davis’ salary this season is US$54.1 million and next season’s salary is US$58.5 million. He has a player option of US$62.8 million in the 2027-28 season. He will be eligible for a contract extension next summer. According to current salary cap projections, if he exercises his player option and renews for another three years, his total income will be up to $218.5 million.

The Mavericks weren't convinced Doncic was worth his next contract, so Harrison moved early to trade the player who had led Dallas to the NBA Finals just eight months earlier..

In a few months, Dallas will have to decide how valuable Davis is to them — a player who, so far, has spent more time on the sidelines than on the court in his time with the Mavericks.