Dallas Mavericks Trade 10-Time All-Star to the Wizards
NBA trades have been firing left and right over the past 36 hours. With Jaren Jackson Jr. being moved to the Utah Jazz, and 2018 NBA MVP James Harden agreeing to a trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers, some of the league’s best are being dealt around in order to compete for the one goal every player has: an NBA Championship. It has just been confirmed by Shams Charania that the Dallas Mavericks are trading 10-time all-star Anthony Davis, along with Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum, to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, and Marvin Bagley III, in addition to two first-round picks and three second-round picks. This trade gives the Wizards another all-star on the roster in addition to Trae Young, while the Mavericks retool the roster around rookie Cooper Flagg. Washington is tied with the Indiana Pacers with 13 wins, last in the Eastern Conference. With a healthy Davis, Young, and a growing Alex Sarr, the Wizards could be a threat come next season.
In 20 appearances with the Mavs this season, Davis averaged 20 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, a steal, and two blocks. He’s been out since January 8th with ligament damage in his left hand. ‘The Brow’ was a force on the boards this season, collecting 10 + rebounds in 13 out of the 20 games he played. Now a Washington Wizard, alongside an all-star point guard in Young and a surging young star in Sarr, Davis has a chance to be a key piece to any sort of playoff success this team sees next season. Even with turning 33 next month, the ten-time all-star can still be a vital factor with championship experience and a ton of knowledge to give to a promising future all-star in Sarr.
For Dallas, they removed AD’s contract from the books and can solely focus on building around their future all-star in Flagg. Middleton will be a second or third scoring option for this Mavericks team, even at 34 years of age. Plus, those five picks they received will also be huge in rebuilding the team as we move forward. With a bunch of cap space and picks, we could see the Mavericks eventually make their own push for a star within the next year or two, to help grow around Flagg. While they aren’t at the top of the Western Conference this season, Dallas’ future looks bright.
Overall, this trade seems fair on both sides. Washington won’t make the playoffs this season, yet they have a really great chance to do so next season and surprise a lot of teams with their newest trio of Davis, Young, and Sarr. Dallas, on the other hands recieves more cap space, more room to build around their future all-star and five picks that could legitimize their NBA Championship hopes. With Davis on the move to his fourth NBA franchise, his sights are set on another ring.
