Mavericks grade Anthony Davis Wizards trade after Luka Doncic disaster

On February 4, The Dallas Mavericks traded Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards — almost exactly one year after The Mavs traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis. The harsh reality is that the Doncic trade turned out to be an absolute disaster for the Mavs — which many expected.

The man who made the Doncic-Davis trade is no longer with the team, as former general manager Nico Harrison was fired at the start of the 2025-26 season. However, Harrison’s mistake continues, as the Mavs currently hold a 19-31 record just two years after reaching the NBA Finals. Davis appeared in just 29 games with Dallas and now his time with the Mavs is over.

Max Christie was part of the trade from last year as well, and played at a respectable level in 2025-26. Still, the Doncic-Davis trade is a disaster. That’s the best word for it.

That is now in the past and Dallas is looking for a fresh start. So how did the Mavs do in the trade with the Wizards?

Evaluating the Mavericks trade with the Wizards

This trade class will focus on the Mavericks. ClutchPoints also posted a Wizards trade rating.

Here is a business breakdownvia Shams Charania of ESPN:

Wizards get: F Anthony Davis, G Jaden Hardy, G Dante Exum, G D’Angelo Russell

Mavericks get: Khris Middleton, G. Hey. Johnson, G. Malachi Branham, F. Marvin Bagley III, two picks in the first round and three picks in the second round

Elections are obviously an important part of the deal. First-round selections include the Thunder’s 2026 first-round pick and the Warriors’ protected 2030 pick. Meanwhile, second-round picks consist of the 2026 Suns, 2027 Bulls and 2029 Rockets.

Davis’ trade value isn’t what it once was. He is still a good player, but the 32-year-old continues to deal with injury problems. Still, the Mavs were able to receive a multiple pick in the first round which is impressive. Neither selection in the first round is particularly intriguing, but the Mavericks did well given the circumstances. Adding three second-round picks just gives the team more leverage in future trades, or maybe they could find an overlooked second-rounder in future drafts.

Middleton is the biggest name Dallas got in the deal. A buyout could be an option. Middleton will be a free agent ahead of the 2026-27 season. The Mavericks probably wouldn’t re-sign him, as Middleton is 34 and likely wants to be a contender. Meanwhile, Dallas is now years away from serious contention.

Johnson, 21, and Branham, 22, give Dallas guard depth for the future and help offset Russell, Exum and Hardy included in the trade.

Bagley may be the NBA-ready standout who could stay in Dallas beyond this season. He is set to hit free agency in the offseason, but the Mavericks may try to keep him. Bagley is only 26 years old and will help fill the void the Mavs frontcourt now has after the Davis trade.

Daniel Gafford is a trade candidate and could also be moved, while Derek Lively II is currently injured. Adding Bagley to the deal will help Dallas move forward.

Final Mavs Trade Grade

Unless the Mavs somehow acquire a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Anthony Edwards, there will never be a way to truly make up for the shocking Doncic trade from a year ago. However, given the circumstances of the Mavs, they did well in this business. It’s not a perfect trade, but the deal helps reset a franchise that is now poised to build around Cooper Flagg for years to come.

Mavericks trade grade: B+