Dallas Mavericks Trade Doncic for Lakers Anthony Davis

[Gepetto 1,536]

Same thing happened when Chris Paul left, his team got #1 pick Anthony Davis. Then when Anthony Davis left they got #1 pick Zion Williamson. Lebron left Cleveland, they got Kyrie Irving. 

[Gepetto 1,536]

As of January 2026, Dallas Mavericks forward/center Anthony Davis has sustained ligament damage in his left hand. This injury requires surgery and is expected to keep him sidelined for several months, potentially ending his season. The injury occurred in early January 2026 during a game against the Utah Jazz. 

video showing what injury occurred: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTRv6XiDP4c/

[Gepetto 1,536]

TRADE

The Dallas Mavericks will receive Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round draft picks and three second-rounders 

The Washington Wizards acquired  Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum in the trade, according to sources. per ESPN

[listen2me 23 1,985]

There is still no one that can tell me this AD Doncic trade was legit.  I dont follow the NBA but even I knew right when the deal came out that it was outlandish.  

[Strike 6,255]

4 minutes ago, listen2me 23 said:

There is still no one that can tell me this AD Doncic trade was legit.  I dont follow the NBA but even I knew right when the deal came out that it was outlandish.  

Not sure what you mean by legit.  If you mean it was fixed so the Lakers would become a contender again, I disagree.  I think it was a horrible GM in Dallas who panicked.  But he could have gotten more for Doncic.  Seems like he took the first offer he could without even shopping Doncic around.  What annoys me is this is the same NBA that vetoed a Chris Paul to the Lakers trade back in Kobe's day.  So they're very picky and choosey on what they allow or don't.  Maybe they should just stay out of the way as long as there isn't collusion?  Much like I run my fantasy league.

[listen2me 23 1,985]

On 2/2/2025 at 9:48 AM, Herbivore said:

good move for both imo. Lakers aren't going anywhere w their current team. Getting Luka plans for life after Lebron. Davis gives the Mavs a better title shot imo. I think Lively will get moved. I am not a big fan of Luka. He is a great offensive player, but not a winning team player. sure they got to the finals last year, but as a Cs fan, gave the Mavs no shot, and it worked out that way. Last year was the peak for kyrie and luka, they beat good teams, but it was more OKC and Minny folding.

Mavs were certainly better off with thr chronically injured aging big man.  Yes for sure.  

[WhiteWonder 3,089]

2 minutes ago, listen2me 23 said:

There is still no one that can tell me this AD Doncic trade was legit.  I dont follow the NBA but even I knew right when the deal came out that it was outlandish.  

Legit? no.   Even the biggest haters of conspiracy theories have to realize that the NBA wants the Lakers relevant after Lebron and assured the Mavs they would land Cooper Flagg. 

But if you get past that, the Mavs needed to move on from Luka in the sense that they did not want to offer him the super max and supposedly tried to trade him for Anthony Edwards as well. This was the best case scenario for them bringing back AD (and christie?) and getting the #1 pick in the Flagg draft.  There were even analysts saying the Mavs were better positioned to win a title after the trade, yet still giving them a low grade just for trading Luka. 

Kyrie/AD/Flagg theoretically should have been a pretty nice trio. 

AD didn't work out due to injuries but I would say bringing back Middleton and 2 firsts.  then again the 2026 first is the Thunder pick 

 

I guess given what I think was a total fix job by the NBA, I think the Mavs did as well as they could have hoped to do. 

[listen2me 23 1,985]

1 minute ago, Strike said:

Not sure what you mean by legit.  If you mean it was fixed so the Lakers would become a contender again, I disagree.  I think it was a horrible GM in Dallas who panicked.  But he could have gotten more for Doncic.  Seems like he took the first offer he could without even shopping Doncic around.  What annoys me is this is the same NBA that vetoed a Chris Paul to the Lakers trade back in Kobe's day.  So they're very picky and choosey on what they allow or don't.  Maybe they should just stay out of the way as long as there isn't collusion?  Much like I run my fantasy league.

No GM who is hired and paid good money by a pro team lets a global superstar like Doncic go without getting the very best offer.  Its bizarre to think GMs just drunkenly take thr first offer they hear.  Half the league would have given them a better deal.  

So you lessen your brand on the global stage.  Trade a superstar in his prime.  Dont field all offers.  In order to obtain chronically injured AD.  Yes a big man who is chronically injured is the prize.  He was such a prize that 1 year later they didnt want him. 

It wasnt legit yes that is my stance.  

[listen2me 23 1,985]

4 minutes ago, WhiteWonder said:

Legit? no.   Even the biggest haters of conspiracy theories have to realize that the NBA wants the Lakers relevant after Lebron and assured the Mavs they would land Cooper Flagg. 

But if you get past that, the Mavs needed to move on from Luka in the sense that they did not want to offer him the super max and supposedly tried to trade him for Anthony Edwards as well. This was the best case scenario for them bringing back AD (and christie?) and getting the #1 pick in the Flagg draft.  There were even analysts saying the Mavs were better positioned to win a title after the trade, yet still giving them a low grade just for trading Luka. 

Kyrie/AD/Flagg theoretically should have been a pretty nice trio. 

AD didn't work out due to injuries but I would say bringing back Middleton and 2 firsts.  then again the 2026 first is the Thunder pick 

 

I guess given what I think was a total fix job by the NBA, I think the Mavs did as well as they could have hoped to do. 

Oh I can agree that if their is a wink wink you get first pick it isnt that terrible for the Mavs.  But that would only make the legitimacy of it worse.  

1.8% chance of landing #1 pick.  Lol

I cant believe some people think this was all legit.  

[WhiteWonder 3,089]

2 minutes ago, listen2me 23 said:

No GM who is hired and paid good money by a pro team lets a global superstar like Doncic go without getting the very best offer.  Its bizarre to think GMs just drunkenly take thr first offer they hear.  Half the league would have given them a better deal.  

So you lessen your brand on the global stage.  Trade a superstar in his prime.  Dont field all offers.  In order to obtain chronically injured AD.  Yes a big man who is chronically injured is the prize.  He was such a prize that 1 year later they didnt want him. 

It wasnt legit yes that is my stance.  

there have always been rumors that other deal were explored.  This is part of why I do believe the conspiracy theories. I agree with the global superstar Doncic comment but if you (for whatever reason) don't want to give him a super max deal, and if you are assured of Cooper Flagg behind closed doors, Flagg and Wemby have been the biggest names in the draft in quite some time. 

[nobody 3,023]

14 minutes ago, Strike said:

Not sure what you mean by legit.  If you mean it was fixed so the Lakers would become a contender again, I disagree.  I think it was a horrible GM in Dallas who panicked.  But he could have gotten more for Doncic.  Seems like he took the first offer he could without even shopping Doncic around.  What annoys me is this is the same NBA that vetoed a Chris Paul to the Lakers trade back in Kobe's day.  So they're very picky and choosey on what they allow or don't.  Maybe they should just stay out of the way as long as there isn't collusion?  Much like I run my fantasy league.

Wasn't the NBA running the pelicans when they vetoed that Paul trade?

I don't think they just can veto trades otherwise.

[listen2me 23 1,985]

Imagine all the people who cover the NBA or insiders....knowing they are just covering an illegitimate league lol.   Outside of youths I have no idea how people watch this stuff.   

[listen2me 23 1,985]

Googling around I see the GM was fired 9 months after the trade.  

I see a clip of the GM saying the owner laughed at him when he first brought up idea of trading Doncic.  

So owner laughs at you.   You then go for the package from Lakers and what?  Owner has no say?  Lets GM make a bad deal in a league where 1 player is almost everything?  He lets him play with his money like that then fires him 9 month later?  Lol.  Que the carnival music.  

Hey 12th seed in west currently.   It was a good deal for both clubs though.  Right.    

[Reality 3,212]

It's the dumbest trade in the history of sports.

I don't really know how it can ever be topped.

34 minutes ago, listen2me 23 said:

Mavs were certainly better off with thr chronically injured aging big man.  Yes for sure.  

Herbivore's takes in this thread are among the dumbest I've ever seen here. Which, is impressive.

[listen2me 23 1,985]

Did the GM know anything about the NBA?  Did he know that AD was a 32 year old big man who is chronically injured?  Never a good combination.  What did he think?  As AD aged he was going to be less injury prone than when he was in his 20s?  

On what planet. 

[posty 2,906]

1 hour ago, Gepetto said:

TRADE

The Dallas Mavericks will receive Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round draft picks and three second-rounders 

The Washington Wizards acquired  Anthony Davis, Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum in the trade, according to sources. per ESPN

The Bullets got screwed on this one IMO...  Losing that many picks and stuck with those salaries?  DC would be better off if the entire franchise left the area...

[listen2me 23 1,985]

2 minutes ago, Reality said:

It's the dumbest trade in the history of sports.

I don't really know how it can ever be topped.

Herbivore's takes in this thread are among the dumbest I've ever seen here. Which, is impressive.

As WW said, if Mavs got the wink that they get first pick then I can see how they complied.  It makes it all even worse than just NBA wanting Lakers to go far for ratings while Lebron is still around and just in general being the biggest money maker franchise.   

[listen2me 23 1,985]

Oof.  Just read through this thread.  Some hilariously bad takes from people who actually follow the NBA a bit.  

[Reality 3,212]

2 minutes ago, listen2me 23 said:

As WW said, if Mavs got the wink that they get first pick then I can see how they complied.  It makes it all even worse than just NBA wanting Lakers to go far for ratings while Lebron is still around and just in general being the biggest money maker franchise.   

No chance there was a wink for the first pick, too many people would have to be in on it. They got extremely lucky. Firing the GM also wouldn't make sense if that was the case. 

It was idiotic and I would never trust that ownership again, if they approved of something this stupid, there's no telling what they are capable of.

[listen2me 23 1,985]

On 4/10/2025 at 2:41 PM, Herbivore said:

he is a great offensive player, but you need very particular players around him, ones that play D and don't expect the ball in their hands. he did make the finals last year, and got stomped. i was surprised minny sucked so bad in the wcf. luka was torching gobert, finch gotta figure that out. in the playoffs this year, I think you see each team go after Luka. I think it will lead to Luka coming up short again. as far as the trade goes, i get all that you're saying, i just don't think it is as bad as most. AD is a good fit there, and a better option than some draft haul. especially w kyrie there. i think AD and Kyrie have 6 good years left, and this year had a better shot imo. i think the mavs got the guy they wanted.

What players does a team need around AD in street clothes?  

[nobody 3,023]

15 minutes ago, Reality said:

It's the dumbest trade in the history of sports.

I don't really know how it can ever be topped.

 

And almost everyone knew it in real time

[listen2me 23 1,985]

5 minutes ago, Reality said:

No chance there was a wink for the first pick, too many people would have to be in on it. They got extremely lucky. Firing the GM also wouldn't make sense if that was the case. 

It was idiotic and I would never trust that ownership again, if they approved of something this stupid, there's no telling what they are capable of.

Its not legit.  If you want to say no way draft lottery was exploited, okay.  I can  go with that.  Then the deal wasnt legitimate at least.  

Oh just a terrible haul for a global superstar who was just in the Finals and sells tickets.  And what do you know the team who fleeced them just happens to be the crown jewel franchise of the entire league with Lebron James.  

[listen2me 23 1,985]

The Jets are terribly ran.  They still found the colts offering 2 firsts thinking they were Sauce Gardner away.  They didnt say DEAL to first team who offered one 1st rounder.  

Mavs sign up for always i jured aging AD and a 2029 1st round pick that probably has no real shot of being a high pick?  Whats a 2029 1st rounder worth in the NBA?  Franchises wipe their ass with picks in the NBA.  

[Gepetto 1,536]

AD is out for at least 6 weeks. Washington is messing up their franchise currently and for the future with this trade.

[WhiteWonder 3,089]

On 2/3/2025 at 4:36 PM, WhiteWonder said:

“the model for a trade like this should've been at least as good as what KD was fetching on the trade market a few years ago.  The Mavs should've came away with pretty much every non-Lebron asset the Lakers had.”…..

 

 

I’ll be the guy to try and justify this trade just a little from Dallas standpoint. It’s still not good but let’s look at it from a different perspective. 
heard a lot of NY sports talk radio mentioning the haul the Nets got for KD, especially factoring in what they flipped Bridges for. And I get it, it was a haul. 
But maybe there’s something to be said for the known commodity. 

Would anyone blink if a team traded a 1st for AD? What about 2 firsts, especially if it could put them in contention with top teams in their conference? Probably not. 
How often do first rounders bust? Probably not as often as the NFL but still pretty often. Look at the 76ers and the process and all the years spent accumulating picks, drafting mostly busts and winding up with malcontent Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Never been to an eastern conference finals. So how much were all those unknown first round picks really worth? 

Hah. Idk who put the confused face but if this post confuses you, you’re probably out of the sports loop.  An injured AD was just flipped for 2 firsts + more. So as I said, no one would blink at that. Known commodity > unknown assets in many or most cases

[WhiteWonder 3,089]

6 hours ago, Reality said:

No chance there was a wink for the first pick, too many people would have to be in on it. They got extremely lucky. Firing the GM also wouldn't make sense if that was the case. 

In a recent sports world where Ohtani’s interpreter had a gambling scandal (and we only pretend Ohtani didn’t know because he’s the greatest thing to happen to baseball since the steroid era), multiple Major League Baseball players have been suspended for gambling on themselves, multiple NBA coaches and players with the same thing, gambling and mob ties….

we really think a league doesn’t have the ability to make this happen?

[Reality 3,212]

8 hours ago, WhiteWonder said:

In a recent sports world where Ohtani’s interpreter had a gambling scandal (and we only pretend Ohtani didn’t know because he’s the greatest thing to happen to baseball since the steroid era), multiple Major League Baseball players have been suspended for gambling on themselves, multiple NBA coaches and players with the same thing, gambling and mob ties….

we really think a league doesn’t have the ability to make this happen?

Nico's reputation was ruined over this and now he's been fired. If there is any truth to what you say, he should be spilling the beans very soon.

[avoiding injuries 1,700]

I can’t imagine there are any happy Wizards fans with this trade. Yuck

[Red White and Blue 135]

3 hours ago, avoiding injuries said:

I can’t imagine there are any happy Wizards fans 

Fixed  

[WhiteWonder 3,089]

5 hours ago, Reality said:

Nico's reputation was ruined over this and now he's been fired. If there is any truth to what you say, he should be spilling the beans very soon.

It’s a theory and my point is with all the crookedness in sports that we’ve seen, I no longer think stuff like this falls under crazy conspiracy theory category. 
 

also depends how much he was paid 

[Herbivore 1,222]

On 2/4/2026 at 2:38 PM, listen2me 23 said:

Mavs were certainly better off with thr chronically injured aging big man.  Yes for sure.  

 

On 2/4/2026 at 3:27 PM, listen2me 23 said:

What players does a team need around AD in street clothes?  

these are fair points. ad injury factor is real, but I would still take my chances to win a title with him over Luka. At some point in every playoff series he will be exploited.

[listen2me 23 1,985]

30 minutes ago, Herbivore said:

 

these are fair points. ad injury factor is real, but I would still take my chances to win a title with him over Luka. At some point in every playoff series he will be exploited.

Riiiiight