Ten-time All-Star Anthony Davis is reportedly headed to Washington in a massive eight-player trade with the Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple reports.
Washington will receive Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum, while Dallas will acquire Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham and Marvin Bagley III, along with two future first-round picks and three future second-round picks.
The move signals that the Mavericks are officially moving on from the blockbuster trade that sent superstar Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers last year in a deal headlined by Davis. That trade was engineered by former general manager Nico Harrison, who was fired in November after a slow start to the season, sparking months of speculation about Davis’ future with the team.
Davis has been sidelined since mid-January with a torn ligament in his left hand. He will not need surgery and remains on the original four-to-six-week recovery timeline from when the injury occurred.
The Wizards have recently shifted away from a full rebuild after losing 67 and 64 games in the past two seasons. Washington traded for Trae Young last month and now adds Davis to a roster that includes young big man Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Once fully healthy, Davis and Young are expected to lead a group that also features Sarr, along with Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly and standout rookie Tre Johnson.
Davis appeared in just 31 of a possible 84 games over two partial seasons with the Mavericks, including two play-in tournament games last season.
For Dallas, the trade clears the way to build around star rookie Cooper Flagg, opening up more frontcourt minutes for the 19-year-old, who is averaging 20.1 points per game and will not turn 20 until next season.
All four players acquired by the Mavericks are set to become free agents this summer, giving the team flexibility as it weighs the potential return of Kyrie Irving, who tore the ACL in his left knee last March.
Dallas has lost five straight games and sits 12th in the Western Conference at 19–31, making it increasingly unlikely Irving will play this season. Russell has a player option for next season, Hardy is under contract through the 2026–27 season with a team option for 2027–28, and Exum will be a free agent this summer.