If the playoffs started today, the Dallas Mavericks wouldn’t even make it to the Play-In Tournament. That’s the harsh reality. Sure, they’re tied with the Phoenix Suns for the 10th seed, but the Suns own the tiebreaker, leaving Dallas on the outside looking in. The Mavericks rolled the dice when they let Luka walk. If Davis doesn’t save this season, it could go down as the worst bet in franchise history. Injuries have piled up, and if Mavs fans were hoping for some reassurance, Dwyane Wade’s take won’t make things any easier.

Wade didn’t hold back. He laid it all out, bluntly saying, “The Mavs are in trouble. I think I’ve seen 15 bodies go down… They had, like, seven guys went down yesterday.” No exaggeration, either.

Right now, the Mavericks are basically an injury ward. Seven key players — Anthony Davis (left adductor), Kyrie Irving (left knee), Dereck Lively (right ankle), Daniel Gafford (right knee), Caleb Martin (right hip), Dante Exum (left hand), and O-Max Prosper (right wrist)—are all dealing with setbacks. The sheer number of injuries is staggering. No wonder Dwyane Wade didn’t hold back his opinion on the Mavericks’ issues:

“When we started this show, when the White Network went live, we were talking about the Luka trade, but we was talking about AD going to Dallas, Kyrie Irvin, we were talking about what that could be. And this window is now [closed],” he said on the podcast.

And he’s got a point. With only 11 games left and a 34-37 record, time is running out. The news that Kyrie Irving might be done for the season just adds to the nightmare. But amid all this chaos, there’s one update that could offer Mavs fans a glimmer of hope:

Reports hint at the return of a key player for the Dallas Maverick

The Dallas Mavericks might finally be getting some much-needed reinforcement, as NBA insider Marc Stein reports that Anthony Davis is “in increasingly strong contention” to return during their upcoming four-game road trip. That’s the kind of news Mavs fans have been waiting for. Meanwhile, Phoenix has capitalized on Dallas’ misfortune, stacking up crucial wins behind Devin Booker’s dominance. If the Mavericks can’t turn things around, they’ll be watching the playoffs from home

The Mavs’ road trip kicks off Monday against the Brooklyn Nets, followed by matchups with the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic before wrapping up against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. If Davis returns, he could provide a big boost – especially considering how he started his Mavericks tenure.

Back on February 8, Davis made an electrifying debut, putting up 26 points, 16 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 blocks in 31 minutes to help the Mavericks take down the Houston Rockets 116-105. But just as fans started dreaming about his impact, a left adductor strain forced him to the sidelines. That injury stalled Dallas’ plans to build around Davis and Kyrie Irving after moving on from Luka Doncic.

Now, with Davis nearing a comeback, there’s a catch – Irving remains out. So, while the Mavs might get one star back, that AD-Kyrie pairing will have to wait a little longer. Given the sheer number of setbacks, it’s no surprise that even NBA legends like Dwyane Wade are sounding the alarm on the Mavericks’ situation.