Anthony Davis Trade Pushes Mavericks Forward in Free Agency

The Dallas Mavericks are officially in the new era after trading Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards.

The team now has some flexibility to work with after moving his big contract, and that should really help them this summer when they are in need of reshaping the entire roster. ESPN insider Tim MacMahon looked into what the team's next steps will be after the Davis trade.

"Trading Davis improved the Mavericks' financial outlook. Once a projected luxury tax and second-apron team, Dallas is now well below both thresholds. The focus will be on evaluating the roster and determining who fits around Flagg," MacMahon wrote.

"Kyrie Irving is expected to return and has two years left on his contract ($39.4 million and $42.4 million), while Klay Thompson is on an expiring contract. Expect Dallas to be proactive in talks with Max Christie, who is eligible to extend his contract for four seasons and $92.8 million."

Mavericks in For Transformative Offseason

Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes defends Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Mavericks need to take their newfound cap space and use it for players that can best fit around Cooper Flagg. The team will look much different next season, especially after the potential departure of Klay Thompson, whose contract will be easy to move with one year left to go.

The Mavericks will further move themselves into their new territory, and that should put them in a position to get closer to where they want to be. Flagg is their primary building block, and they can bring players in that will best fit what they are trying to build.

It remains to be seen which players will make sense for the Mavericks, but they might want to target players on one-year deals that they could possibly flip at the trade deadline.

They could also look to bring in players that might not be commanding as much on the market as they probably are worth. If the Mavericks can get these bargains into the building while they are not in position to be contending in the Western Conference, they could improve their positioning as a rebuild regardless.

The Mavericks are back in action on Thursday when they take on the Sacramento Kings. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT at the American Airlines Center. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.

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