Mavericks Send Anthony Davis to Wizards in Stunning Trade

Merlin sees Dallas accepted a Washington offer they could not refuse, sending Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Wizards for Khris Middleton, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks and three second-round picks. The Mavs "weren't dead set on trading Davis by the deadline" but the added picks helped them "check every box." Merlin notes this is a clean break from the Nico Harrison era and a bid to protect the future. Dallas feared Davis would "ask for big money this summer," so moving him frees cap space and roster pieces to build around 2025 No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg as the team pivots from a 19-31 season toward a rebuild.