Things have been moving quickly for the Mavericks ever since Nico Harrison decided to trade Luka Doncic last February. What turned into unprecedented boldness quickly turned into regret as the Mavericks realized the gravity of their mistake. Now, roughly a year after the initial Luka trade, there’s no doubt that they mishandled the entire situation.
The Mavericks gave up Doncic last year in a deal involving Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and the Lakers‘ 2029 first-round pick. Today, the Mavs just traded Davis in exchange for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two future first-round picks, and three future first-round picks. In total, that means Dallas turned Luka Doncic into Max Christie, Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two unprotected future first-round picks, a protected first-round pick from the Warriors, and three future second-rounders.
Acquiring Anthony Davis was the entire reason that the Mavericks gave up Doncic, so to trade him just a year later is a stunning admission of defeat. What’s worse is their final return. Besides Khris Middleton (who turned 34 in August), the list includes no All-Stars and just two unprotected first-round draft picks. It’s not nearly enough for someone like Doncic, an All-NBA superstar and future Hall of Famer with career averages of 29.0 points, 8.6 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 46.8% shooting and 35.0% shooting from three.
Luka was the heart and soul of that entire Mavericks franchise, and now they have to start over and rebuild once again. The only saving grace is Cooper Flagg’s arrival, which has given the fans a new face to rally behind. In the wake of the Anthony Davis trade, and the Mavericks’ place at 12th in the standings (19-31), something had to give in Dallas, but this isn’t the kind of return anyone had in mind.
Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards were able to acquire Davis without sacrificing any of their own picks. Between two first-rounders and three seconds, the Wizards only gave away assets that they were owed from other teams, meaning they still have yet to touch their own stockpile.
For a team like the Wizards, making smart and forward-thinking decisions like this can make the difference between sustained success and long-term struggles. It’s been years since this team was relevant, but they are set to make some noise next season with both Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and a host of assets.
It’s a lesson that the Mavericks learned all too late. Had they operated with a similar style during the Doncic trade, they would likely be much better off today with a team equipped to compete in the future. Now, the Mavericks have to do things the hard way after turning their most prized asset into tradeable players and spare parts.
