Mavericks' Luka Doncic Trade Tree Grows With Davis Deal

Merlin sees the Luka Dončić trade tree grow another branch. Dallas flipped Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to Washington for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first rounders and three seconds. That move adds more role players and picks to the haul the Mavs collected when they traded Dončić to L.A., but most pieces are depth and several picks carry protections or look late in the round. Dončić remains elite in L.A., averaging 33.4 points, and Dallas has struggled without him. Merlin notes the true prize from the split was not a veteran but draft luck. The lottery win that yielded Cooper Flagg, now a Rookie of the Year frontrunner, gives Dallas a genuine cornerstone. The package from Dončić is messy on paper, yet the Mavericks’ rebuild still has a clear path forward if Flagg grows.