Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg during an NBA game.
The Dallas Mavericks made a franchise-shifting move by trading Anthony Davis and additional pieces, a deal that immediately resets the team’s timeline around rookie star Cooper Flagg.
Dallas is receiving a 2026 Thunder first-round pick and a 2030 protected Warriors first-round pick in this deal from the Wizards along with second rounders in 2026 (Phoenix), 2027 (Chicago) and 2029 (Houston), sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/t5Qqtkl0Is
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026
Dallas’ Anthony Davis deal is a full-on asset play: the Mavericks are sending Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards, and getting back Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham and Marvin Bagley III, plus two first-round picks and three second-rounders,per ESPN’s Shams Charania. The firsts are a 2026 Oklahoma City Thunder first-rounder and a 2030 protected Golden State Warriors first-rounder, with second-rounders in 2026 (Phoenix), 2027 (Chicago) and 2029 (Houston).
Bobby Marks
The Mavericks now have the resources, starting with a likely lottery pick (and a late first) and financial/roster resources to build their roster around Cooper Flagg.
Dallas has $150M in guaranteed money next year, well below the tax and apron.
For this season, Dallas drops
And the cap math suggests Dallas isn’t done.ESPN’s Bobby Marks notedthe Mavericks now have “the resources” — including what looks like a likely lottery pick (plus a late first) and “financial/roster resources to build their roster around Cooper Flagg,” adding that Dallas has about $150 million in guaranteed money next season, leaving them well below the tax and apron. Marks also said the Mavericks drop below the luxury tax and both aprons this season, creating flexibility in the next 24 hours to keep adding draft assets.
Mavericks Trade Anthony Davis, Clear the Runway for Cooper Flagg
Trading Davis isn’t just a roster move; it’s a message about direction.
Dallas had a short-window “win-now” look the moment Davis entered the picture. Moving him out flips the framing: this is now Flagg’s team, with the organization seemingly prioritizing long-term roster building, controlled spending, and asset accumulation.
It also explains the spike in fan chatter and search interest around the trade, with “Anthony Davis” + “trade” queries exploding across the NBA landscape in real time.
Key details at a glance:
Dallas moved Anthony Davis in a trade involving multiple pieces
Dallas is positioned to have a likely lottery pick and a late first-rounder
Marks: Dallas has financial flexibility and can build up draft assets quickly
Dallas: below the luxury tax and both aprons this season, per Marks
What It Means for the Mavericks’ Roster and Cap Flexibility
This is where the deal gets interesting for Dallas fans: it’s not only about who’s gone — it’s about what Dallas can now do next.
Marks’ breakdown frames the Mavericks as a team with real maneuverability:
With guaranteed money sitting around $150M next year, Dallas can operate below the league’s spending pressure points.
Getting below the tax/apron lines right now matters because it can change what types of trades you can make, how easily you can take money back, and how aggressive you can be in stacking picks.
In plain terms: Dallas can build around Flagg without immediately boxing itself into a financial corner, and it can pursue roster upgrades in a more calculated way.
Flagg’s Historic Scoring Tear Is Fueling the “New Face” Momentum
The timing of the Davis trade only amplifies what’s already happening on the court: Flagg has been on a scoring tear that’s starting to feel bigger than a normal rookie hot streak.
Over his last three games, Flagg is averaging 39 points per game, a run that has included record-setting production and has clearly driven fan interest. When a young star is putting up historic numbers — and the front office makes a move that effectively hands him the keys — the storyline writes itself.
Dallas doesn’t just have a new centerpiece. It has a new identity.
That matters in a league where relevance can swing fast: a rookie face-of-the-franchise moment is a marketing boost, a ticket-sales boost, and (more importantly) a roster-building clarity boost.
What Happens Next for Dallas After the Anthony Davis Deal
If Marks is right about the next 24 hours being flexible for Dallas, the Mavericks’ follow-up moves could fit into two buckets:
Asset play: add draft capital, move contracts, take a longer view.
Flagg fit play: target players who complement Flagg’s style — shooting, defense, secondary creation — even if it’s incremental.
Either way, the pressure is now on Dallas to prove the Davis trade wasn’t just a reset, but a plan: build a contender with Flagg at the center, not just a highlight-reel team with a star scorer.
Trade package details: Mavericks trade Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, Dante Exum to Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III + 2026 Thunder 1st + 2030 protected Warriors 1st + 2026 (Phoenix) 2nd, 2027 (Chicago) 2nd, 2029 (Houston) 2nd.
Flagg record(s) during this tear: Flagg recently scored a career-high 49 points that set the NBA’s teenage scoring record, and NBA.com noted it also made him the youngest player in league history with a 40+ point game.
Next game + date: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks — Feb. 5, 2026 (American Airlines Center).
Mavericks current record/standing: Dallas is 19-31, sitting 12th in the Western Conference.