Only one year removed from arguably the most confusing trade of all time, and it keeps getting worse. This was the trade that led athletes and fans to believe that NBA insider Shams Charania had been hacked.
At this point, speaking poorly about the Luka Doncic trade is low-hanging fruit to say the least. However, reality is setting in: the Dallas Mavericks traded one of the best basketball players on the planet for Anthony Davis, and then got only 29 games out of him.
The Sporting News breaks down how the Mavericks received a disappointing return after trading a superstar in the latest Davis deal.
MORE: Grading the Anthony Davis trade to the Wizards
Luka Doncic trade details
On February 2, 2025, the Mavericks traded the superstar guard to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a significant three-team blockbuster transaction.
Lakers receive:
G Luka Doncic
F Maxi Kleiber
F Markieff Morris
Mavericks receive:
C Anthony Davis
G Max Christie
Lakers' 2029 first-round pick
Jazz receive:
G Jalen Hood-Schifino
Clippers' 2025 second-round pick
Mavericks' 2025 second-round pick
The transaction was regarded as one of the most startling and lopsided decisions in NBA history, given that Doncic was only 25 years old and had recently led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. Dallas apparently proceeded with the trade due to apprehensions about Doncic's conditioning and an impending $345 million supermax extension.
MORE:Tracking the latest NBA trade deadline news
What did the Mavericks get for Luka Doncic?
Regardless of who returns in such a transaction, the fanbase will inevitably be divided. Doncic represented more than merely a basketball player in Dallas, as evidenced by the fans' clear expressions of this sentiment.
Nonetheless, when the player acquired in exchange for Doncic fails to perform as expected, the criticism intensifies, emphasizing the perceived error in the decision.
Trading Davis was already enough for everyone to call this one of the worst decisions in NBA history, but getting this poor a haul in return makes it all the more perplexing. While this was not the exact trade, some critical thinkers think the Mavericks essentially traded Doncic for the following.
Updated return on the Luka trade:
3 first-round picks
3 second-rounders
Max Christie
Khris Middleton
AJ Johnson
Malaki Branham
Marvin Bagley III
(h/t @BradeauxNBA ) pic.twitter.com/k6voJSQv5u
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 4, 2026
To put it in perspective, the Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic in exchange for two veterans, four first-round draft picks, and a pick swap. Later, the Grizzlies received four players, three future first-round picks, and a record-breaking $28.8 million trade exception for Jaren Jackson Jr.
MORE:Tracking the latest Giannis Antetokounmpo trade rumors
Anthony Davis trade details
Following the trade, Davis sustained recurring injuries in Dallas, playing in only 29 games before his trade to the Washington Wizards on February 4, 2026.
Wizards receive:
C Anthony Davis
G D'Angelo Russell
G Jaden Hardy
G Dante Exum
Mavericks receive:
SF Khris Middleton
G AJ Johnson
G Malaki Branham
PF/C Marvin Bagley III
Two first-round picks
Three second-round picks
BREAKING: The Dallas Mavericks are trading 10-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Washington Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-rounders, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/sfrQQubI5i
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 4, 2026
The Mavericks have now shifted towards a rebuilding phase focused on Cooper Flagg, after being promised the initial trade was to compete for a championship.
What did the Mavericks get for Anthony Davis?
The Mavericks traded Davis, along with Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum, to the Wizards. In return, they received AJ Johnson, Khris Middleton, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, as well as two first-round and three second-round draft picks.
While this deal in particular isn't horrid, the Mavericks front office getting more first-round picks for Davis than they did for Doncic adds another stinging element.