Summary
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The Dallas Mavericks have traded 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards in a massive eight-player deal 24 hours before the 2026 deadline
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In exchange for Davis and three guards, Dallas receives veteran Khris Middleton, several young players, and a haul of five draft picks
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The move signals a total pivot by the Mavericks to build around rookie sensation Cooper Flagg following the fallout of last year’s Luka Dončić trade
Exactly one year to the day after he was acquired in the “trade of the century,” Anthony Davis is on the move again. In a stunning reversal of fortunes on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, the Dallas Mavericks traded the 10-time All-Star to the Washington Wizards in an eight-player blockbuster that signals the official end of the AD experiment in North Texas. First reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania, the trade marks a desperate pivot for a Mavericks franchise trying to salvage its future after the widely panned 2025 trade of Luka Dončić. By offloading Davis’s massive contract, the Mavericks are clearing the deck to build around rookie phenom Cooper Flagg and recouping the draft capital lost in the previous regime’s gamble.
The deal is one of the most complex in recent memory, involving a significant exchange of veteran talent and future assets. The Washington Wizards receive Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy, and Dante Exum. In return, the Mavericks acquire three-time All-Star Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks (a 2026 Thunder selection and a 2030 protected Warriors pick), and three future second-rounders. For Washington, the move represents a massive swing toward relevancy, pairing Davis with recently acquired star Trae Young and rookie big man Alex Sarr to form a potential “Big Three” in the Eastern Conference.
For the Mavericks, the trade is a stark admission of failure for the “win-now” strategy engineered by former GM Nico Harrison, who was fired in November. Davis’s tenure in Dallas was defined more by the training room than the court; the star big man appeared in just 29 regular-season games over the last calendar year. Currently sidelined with a hand injury, Davis and star guard Kyrie Irving famously shared the court just once before injuries derailed their partnership. With the team currently 12th in the Western Conference, the front office opted to prioritize financial flexibility and veteran depth over the high-risk health profile of the 32-year-old Davis.
The emergence of Cooper Flagg has served as the catalyst for this “Unthinkable Reset.” Flagg, the No. 1 overall pick, has exceeded all expectations, recently setting NBA scoring records for a teenager. By adding Khris Middleton, the Mavericks gain a championship-tested wing who can provide leadership and floor spacing for the young Flagg. Meanwhile, the influx of draft picks allows the next permanent general manager to inherit a clean financial slate. While the return for Davis stands in sharp contrast to the generational talent of Dončić given up to get him, the move provides the Mavericks a much-needed path forward from the darkest chapter in franchise history.
Anthony Davis is not expected to suit up for the Wizards immediately as he continues to rehab his hand injury, while Khris Middleton could join the Mavericks’ lineup as early as this weekend.
