Mavericks 2026 NBA trade deadline rating after 2 deals, Anthony Davis blockbuster

What a difference age makes. Around this time last year, the entire city of Dallas was in despair after Nico Harrison inexplicably sold Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for the title package Anthony Davis. That trade was universal at the time, and time hasn’t exactly been kind to the Mavericks with that franchise-altering move.

A year later, the Mavericks cut their losses and sent Davis to the Washington Wizards before the trade deadline for a return that was nowhere near the value they gave up to bring in the 10-time All-Star.

The good news is that it is The Mavericks got lucky at Cooper Flagggiving them another superstar in the making to build a franchise around. Fingers crossed, but this time, with a new brain trust at the helm, maybe Flagg would last longer than the six and a half seasons Doncic spent with the team.

It’s been a few weeks since the deadline, and it’s clear what the Mavericks are trying to do to end the year: increase their chances so they can get the best possible pick to try to supplement their Flagg-led core during a rare year in which they control their own first-round pick.

Either way, how did the Mavericks fare during the trade deadline, and has time been kinder to them this time around?

The Mavericks refuse to fall into the sunk cost delusion, trade Anthony Davis

Mavericks acquire: Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson, Tyus Jones, Khris Middleton, 2026 OKC 1st-round pick, top-20 protected 2030 GSV 1st-round pick, 2026 PHKS 2nd-round pick, 2027 CHI 2nd-round pick, and 2027 CHI 2nd-round pick

Wizards pick up: Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Dante Exum, Jaden Hardy

Say it is The Mavericks traded Davis for pennies on the dollar would be a huge understatement. This is a disappointing return to say the least for the main piece Dallas received in exchange for Doncic, and this is a move that just screams admission of defeat.

This isn’t to say the Mavericks shouldn’t have traded Davis. There were certainly many reasons why market research was wise for him. But Dallas could choose not to pull the trigger if this was the best offer they were going to get.

For starters, Davis has a ttwo more seasons he is out of contract after the 2025-26 season, although he has a player option for the 2026-27 season. Why did the Mavericks feel like they had to move on from Davis so quickly, especially with injuries ravaging him this season?

Maybe the Mavs know something about Davis’ health that others don’t. But it’s not as if Davis’ presence has stopped Dallas from pulling off some shenanigans, given that he wasn’t healthy enough to play anyway and the smart money would be on him missing the rest of the 2025-26 season due to ligament damage he suffered in his left hand.

If the goal was for the Mavericks to compete next season, especially with Kyrie Irving back, then keeping Davis would be a smart move. None of the pieces the Mavs got for Davis stand out as a potential point guard, and the picks they got from the Wizards aren’t very good.

The first round pick they received in 2026 will likely be the 30th pick in the draft as it belongs to the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. The Warriors’ 2030 pick is protected until the 20th selection; by then, Curry could be long retired and Golden State could be in the midst of a painful rebuild. That pick would carry over as a second-round pick if it lands in the protected area.

Marvin Bagley and Khris Middleton are good pieces, but they’re nothing more than depth players at this point in their careers. AJ Johnson has barely gotten any minutes for the Mavericks in recent games. If this was the best they could get, there’s an argument that keeping Davis would have been the best course of action anyway.

It’s one thing to admit it trades Doncic for Davis, Max Christie and an unprotected 2029 first-round pick. was a mistake. It’s another thing to double that mistake. Wasn’t it tempting enough for the Mavs to try and see what they got with a core of Flegg, Davis and Irving with a supporting cast of Derek Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Christie, Naji Marshall, Klay Thompson and PJ Washington to name a few?

The luck of the number one pick saved this Mavericks franchise. If Flagg hadn’t landed in Dallas, this franchise would be in complete disarray. In a vacuum, this trade with the Wizards is, at best, defensible, and at worst, a pathetic admission of defeat. But when judged from the larger context of the Doncic trade and the horrific turnaround that has engulfed the franchise since then, this trade is even harder to swallow.

Dallas is dealing with seasonal point guard issues

The The Mavericks rerouted Branhamthe part they got in the Davis trade, to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Tyus Jones, who was left on salary by the Orlando Magic. Jones hasn’t been very good this season, looking very washed out for the Magic, so it’s their decision to release him, but at least he provides a steady hand and healthy competition to the team’s other guards.

Jones isn’t expected to play a big role, but perhaps he helps the likes of Brandon Williams and Ryan Nembhardt learn more about what it takes to be an effective floor general in the association.

How did the Mavs do?

Overall, the Mavericks didn’t do well before the trade deadline. They decided to commit to a full rebuild around Flagg, but they got a small return on Davis. They had such a solid infrastructure of players, but they still decided to blow it instead of betting on Davis being healthier next season.

Mavs fans have to expect, barring a crazy surge from Flagg, that they may have a hard time cracking the postseason picture next season.

Mavericks Trade Deadline Grade: C-