Anthony Davis will once again travel to a new city after spending a year in Dallas, as the forward now moves to the capital city. ESPN analyst Shams Charania reported on X that the Washington Wizards and the Mavericks have agreed on a massive eight-player deal. The Mavericks have been heavily criticized for moving Luka Doncic last season, and the AD trade means the front office accepts the mistake and looks to move on. But who won the deal this time? Let’s see.
Besides the 10-time All-Star, the Mavs have given away Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, who was part of the Luka trade as well, and Dante Exum to the Wizards. On the other hand, the Dallas side has received Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, and Marvin Bagley III. Along with that, the Mavs have also got two first-round and three second-round picks.
The Luka Doncic deal has visibly turned out to be a gold mine for the Lakers after a year. The Slovenian guard is leading the league in scoring and having an MVP-esque season thus far. However, Davis has once again been sidelined by injuries, while a 19-year-old rookie has led the team’s offense.
This time, the deal looks more rounded up for Dallas. The franchise got a veteran SF in Middleton, two promising rookies in Johnson and Branham, and an explosive center in Bagley. Middleton was a second-option player in Milwaukee, but his production has gone downhill after injuries and time off the court the last few seasons. Injuries are an issue with Bagley III, too.
On the other hand, the Wizards got an injury-prone AD, D’Angelo Russell, a good backup guard, but his absence in crucial moments has been an issue, a G League rookie, and a bench player. However, if healthy, the Davis and Trae Young combo will be an interesting team-up in Washington.
However, giving away an All-Star-caliber player did not go empty-handed this time for the Mavs, as they also received a few picks, a 2026 Thunder first-round pick, a 2030 protected Warriors first-round pick, with second-rounders in 2026 (Phoenix), 2027 (Chicago), and 2029 (Houston). The deal looks good for the Mavericks, as the front office looks to build a new young core around Cooper Flagg for the future.
After Anthony Davis trade, can Dallas Mavericks hoard more assets for future?
The Dallas Mavericks have clarified their intentions with the Anthony Davis trade. They have found a franchise piece in Cooper Flagg and want to build a young team around him. The mid-season trade period has a few more hours, and with Kyrie Irving still rehabilitating from his ACL surgery, the team might look to add more assets if they are in rebuild mode.
If the Mavs decide to move Irving’s contract as well, it will create more space in the cap structure. The team has $150 million for the next season and is now well below the luxury cap after offloading Davis’ contract. This will give them flexibility in the offseason and a hoard of picks for the coming drafts. The next few hours will be interesting to watch!
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