ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith's eye-opening take on Mavericks' power forward Anthony Davis in 2022 is resurfacing after the Luka Doncic trade. The blockbuster deal involving the two future Hall-of-Famers is perhaps the most shocking trade in NBA history. Both the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers will ultimately be monitored very closely over the next few years to see which franchise got the better end of this deal.

Anthony Davis had a tremendous start to his Dallas career until he left his first game with an adductor strain. AD is now sidelined indefinitely with this injury. As fans question this bold move from general manager Nico Harrison, it's important to recognize how huge of a talent Davis is. Stephen A. Smith's stance on the superstar power forward from a couple of years ago highlights this upside.

“When healthy, ok. When healthy. We’re talking about a healthy Anthony Davis, which is a rarity. I’d take Anthony Davis over Luka. I’d take Anthony Davis over Jokic. Yes, I would. And let me go a step further. As much love, respect, and have reverence for Jimmy Butler and Jayson Tatum, and how big-time both are, I’d take a healthy Anthony Davis over them, too.”

The Mavs' immediate future revolves around AD's health 

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) and forward Anthony Davis (3) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Houston Rockets at the American Airlines Center.
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While this take was made two and a half years ago, Anthony Davis hasn't regressed since then. Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic have improved since 2022, but AD is still among the best players in the NBA. This year, Davis is averaging 25.7 points and 12.0 rebounds while being one of the best defenders in the world.

And the Mavs' newest star addition could be even more of a menace on defense. Davis' natural position is power forward, but he's had to play center over the past few years for the Lakers. The Mavericks can be an absolutely devastating defensive unit when at full strength.

But the issue is that this team is not healthy right now. Davis, who's had injuries throughout his whole career, is out again for an extended period of time. The hope is that AD can return at least a few weeks before the postseason to build chemistry with his new teammates.

Dallas sits at 28-26 and is the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. The West, however, has several teams behind Dallas that are trying to sneak into the Play-In. That includes a talented Phoenix Suns team and a Spurs squad that just traded for De'Arron Fox. While things look a little bleak right now, if Dallas can maintain its spot or move up in the West over the next few months, this will be a very dangerous team in the postseason.