Anthony Davis is ready for his debut with the Mavs in Dallas and acknowledges the frustration of fans who lost Luka Doncic

Anthony Davis is ready to make his debut for the Dallas Mavericks in their first home game since the huge trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.

While Davis knows he’ll be on the court for the opening tip against the Houston Rockets on Saturday, he’s unsure what to expect.

Anger among Dallas fans remained high even six days after the trade, which also included sending Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to the Mavs while Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris went to LA.

Most of the frustration has been aimed at Dallas general manager Nico Harrison, who traded a 25-year-old superstar in his prime just eight months after the Mavs reached the NBA Finals for the first time since winning the franchise’s only championship in 2011.

“I get who Luka was to this franchise, to this city,” Davis said on Friday at his introductory news conference. “I’m never going to downplay that. Just how I know what I meant to the city of LA. So I’m not surprised by the fans’ reaction and the city’s reaction. It’s my job to come in and play basketball and do what I’m supposed to do and give the fans hope and reassurance on why Nico brought me here.”

“I don’t know how (Saturday’s) going to be as far as the reaction,” Davis said. “I can’t control that. Obviously, it was a tough transition. It was a shock to all. My job is to come in and win basketball games.”

Fans in Dallas protested outside the arena the day after the trade, and similar demonstrations could occur when the team returns from a five-game road trip.

All Davis can do is prove himself as one of the NBA’s top big men, a 10-time All-Star with career averages of 24.2 points and 10.7 rebounds, who helped lead the Lakers to their 17th championship in the 2020 playoff bubble.

“I’d just tell them you’ve got a guy who’s going to be on the floor every night,” Davis said when asked what he would say to one of those angry fans. “A guy who’s going to compete every night and bring that championship experience to the organization, try to help lead this team to some championships.”

Davis was joined by Max Christie and Caleb Martin, who also joined the Mavericks in a trade with Philadelphia. Christie played the last two games on the road trip, scoring 15 points in each game. Martin’s debut with the Mavericks is uncertain because of a hip injury.

“I’m big on perspective,” said Christie, a 21-year-old in his third season as a second-round pick coming off a one-and-done college career at Michigan State. “Being able to be a part of a trade of this magnitude is definitely kind of flattering to me.”

Harrison’s bold move shifts the star pairing from Kyrie Irving and Doncic to a new frontcourt-backcourt combo of Irving and Davis.

Irving said in the first game after the trade that he was still grieving the loss of his “hermano,” but preparing himself to move on. After struggling together in the 2022-23 season, Irving and Doncic found their groove in 2023-24 and led the Mavs to a Western Conference title before losing to Boston in five games.

Now, Irving focuses on a new partnership, hoping the learning curve is not as steep since the team now has two players who don’t both need to dominate the ball.

The 31-year-old Davis is also eager to play mostly at power forward, as the Mavs have stronger personnel at center compared to the Lakers, with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. Lively may not return until late in the regular season due to a stress fracture in his ankle.

“I just think having a guard like Kai, who’s able to score, who’s able to pass, attack downhill, he can do it all. No flaw in his game,” Davis said. “I don’t think he’s played with a guy like me as well who can play in the pocket, can roll to the rim, be a lob threat and pick and pop, can handle (the ball) when he can come set a screen for me. It’s a different dynamic that I bring to him and he brings to me.”

It’s bringing a new dynamic to the Mavericks’ home, at least for now.