Wizards Land Anthony Davis in Blockbuster Trade with Mavericks: A New Era Begins

Let's go back a little bit to set the scene. Do you remember when the Mavericks sent their star player, Luka Doncic, to the Los Angeles Lakers? That was a big deal last year. It felt like a robbery in the middle of the night, and Nico Harrison, who was the GM at the time, planned it all. Davis was the main piece that came back, along with some other pieces, but supporters in Dallas were furious. I mean, trade a 25-year-old superstar who is already getting MVP talk for a player who is hurt all the time? It screamed desperation, especially since the Mavs had just made the Finals with Doncic and Kyrie Irving leading the way. Harrison was let go in November following a bad start to the season, and since then, there have been rumors about trading Davis everywhere. This move seems like the Mavericks are starting again, admitting that their plan didn't work.

The Wizards, on the other hand, have been in "rebuild" mode for what seems like forever. We're talking about two seasons in a row with 67 and 64 losses. That's the kind of suffering that even the most dedicated supporters can't take. But now, they've changed things up. Last month, they made a daring move by signing Trae Young. Now they're adding Davis? They seem to be saying, "Forget the lottery; let's get to work now." They have young players like Alex Sarr, the second choice in 2024, who is showing signs of being a strong defender. Add Davis, a 10-time All-Star who is still great when healthy, and Washington's frontcourt suddenly looks scary. With Young's ability to make plays, this team could sneak into the playoffs in the East, as long as everyone stays healthy.

When you look at the details of the contract, it's a doozy. The Wizards are sending a lot of players to Dallas: Khris Middleton, an experienced shooter who's been a steady hand but is getting older; AJ Johnson, a young guard with potential; Malaki Branham, another prospect who's shown he can score; and Marvin Bagley III, a former high lottery pick who's been around but could do well in a new place. Dallas also gets two first-round picks and three second-round picks. That's a lot of draft picks for a squad that is definitely looking ahead.

Washington gets Davis, of course, but they also get three guards from the Mavs: Jaden Hardy, who can score quickly off the bench; D'Angelo Russell, the crafty veteran who has had good and bad times but can still shoot from deep; and Dante Exum, the Australian who has become a dependable role player with his defense and hustle. This move offers the Wizards some much-needed depth in the backcourt, not just star power.

The key question now is health, especially for Davis. The man is a beast. He can protect the rim like few others and score from wherever. But he has a long history of injuries. Since January 8, he's been out with a problem with his left hand. Before that, it was a problem with his core muscles, a calf strain, or something else. During his time with Dallas, he only played in 31 out of 84 available games, including two play-in games last season. That's tough. And the Wizards aren't immune to this either; Trae Young has had his own problems in the past. Washington might be a dark horse if both stars can stay healthy for 60 to 70 games. But what if not? It could merely make their pain last longer.

This trade for the Mavericks screams "youth movement." They're turning hard toward Cooper Flagg, the number one choice this year who is already making history. The kid recently scored 49 points against Charlotte as a teenager, which is an NBA record. He has also scored 30 points in three straight games, which is another record for someone under 20. At 19, he averaged 20.1 points and led Duke to the Final Four. He also won the AP Player of the Year award as a freshman. He has that unique mix of stature, skill, and confidence. Dallas is building around Flagg as the future face of the franchise after Doncic, even though he won't turn 20 until next season.

But Big D isn't always sunny. The Mavs are on a horrible streak, having lost five games in a row and sitting at 19-31, 12th in the West. Kyrie Irving is out since he tore his ACL last March, and it looks like he might not play at all this year. Missing the playoffs for the second year in a row after making it to the finals in 2024? Ouch. Harrison wanted Davis and Irving to play together for a chance to win, but they only played together once before injuries ruined everything. Davis hurt his stomach in his first game, and Irving fell down not long after. In athletics, it's a typical case of "what if": what if they stayed healthy? Could Dallas have gone any deeper? We'll never know, because this exchange ends that story.

This isn't just about this season for the Wizards. Yeah, they might not push Young or Davis too hard right now, especially considering they won't get their draft pick this year if it's below the top 8. Good move: keep that asset safe while you plan for 2026–27. Imagine a lineup with Davis in the paint, Sarr learning from him, Young passing the ball, and the new guards making room. There are a lot of teams in the East besides the typical ones like Boston and Milwaukee. Washington might be a sneakily good team if they can add a couple more players through free agency or the picks they still have. But health is the unknown. Davis is 32 years old and not getting any younger. His physique has been through a lot over the years.

Don't forget what the fans said. This could genuinely help in Dallas. Fans felt like they lost a once-in-a-lifetime talent for broken goods when Doncic was traded. Doncic was the heart and soul of the team. Now that he's doing well with the Lakers, he was the heart and soul. But Flagg's rise gives us hope. You don't see kids like him very often. He has the athleticism and basketball IQ of a young Kevin Durant and the defense of Scottie Pippen. Dallas could be back in the mix sooner rather than later if they can get him some shooters and a good point guard.

In Washington, people are undoubtedly very excited. After years of talking about rebuilding and lottery ping-pong balls, getting a guy like Davis feels like a big deal. It reminds me of when the Pelicans sent him to the Lakers in 2019, which started a championship run. Could history happen again? Not right away, but it's better than being in the basement. And with Sarr, who is 7 feet tall and has guard skills, the frontcourt tandem might be very good. Sarr is only 20, but learning from AD's footwork and shot-blocking should help him progress faster.

Anthony Davis traded to Wizards in eight-player deal as Mavericks fully commit to Cooper Flagg era.

Dallas sends Anthony Davis, the high-upside but injury-prone big man, along with guards Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum to Washington in exchange for veteran forward Khris Middleton, young prospects AJ Johnson and Malaki Branham, former lottery pick Marvin Bagley III, plus a hefty package of draft compensation that includes two first-round picks and three second-rounders. This massive eight-player swap gives the Mavericks immediate roster turnover and valuable future assets to build around their new cornerstone, while the Wizards get a proven All-Star centerpiece and some much-needed backcourt depth in return.

The Wizards are now pairing Anthony Davis with Trae Young’s elite playmaking and Alex Sarr’s rising two-way potential in a clear attempt to accelerate their rebuild and turn it into a legitimate contention window much sooner than anyone expected. After years of bottoming out and collecting high draft picks, Washington is betting that Davis’s defensive dominance and scoring ability—when healthy—combined with Young’s scoring and vision plus Sarr’s length and versatility at the 4 or 5, can create a scary frontcourt trio that finally pushes them out of the lottery and into the Eastern Conference playoff conversation.