Mavericks to Give Piece of Anthony Davis Trade Control Over His Future

The Dallas Mavericks made one of the biggest moves of the trade deadline by sending Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards. While they got some draft capital in return, the biggest motive for the trade was the expiring contracts, giving the Mavericks a lot of financial freedom that they didn't have previously.

One of those expiring contracts is Khris Middleton, who is on the last year of his contract, making about $33.3 million this season. He had the largest salary of the players who came back in the trade, and is the biggest reason the trade was able to be made with the Wizards.

Middleton has had a few solid games for the Mavericks since the trade, putting up 25 points, 7 assists, and 7 rebounds in the win over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, but he also had 18 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves last week. The Dallas Mavericks don't have a reason to be winning games, though, as they're trying to prioritize their 2026 first-round pick, the last pick they have control over until 2031.

There's also an important deadline coming up: the buyout deadline. March 1st marks the date that players can negotiate buyouts with their teams to be eligible to sign elsewhere the rest of the season. Khris Middleton is the Mavericks' likeliest contender for a buyout because of his veteran status and the team's positioning.

NBA insider Marc Stein has reported that the Mavericks will leave the decision up to Middleton on whether or not he's bought out, meaning they're giving him the freedom to gauge interest from the rest of the NBA for the next few days. They have also told him that he may have a spot on next year's roster if he decides to stick around.

Feb 22, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Khris Middleton (20) in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Should the Mavericks Keep Khris Middleton?

The Dallas Mavericks have two players on two-way contracts that they'd like to convert to standard NBA deals: Ryan Nembhard and Moussa Cisse. But they still have a firm 15 players on standard contracts, meaning they'd have to waive others to create room for one player or both.

Middleton could have value as another veteran presence in the locker room for Cooper Flagg, as he's a wing with NBA championship experience. He was the sidekick to Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Milwaukee Bucks' title in 2021, and he has experience playing under Jason Kidd, too.

Outside of Middleton, there aren't any obvious cut candidates to be cut. The other expiring contracts are Tyus Jones, Dwight Powell, Marvin Bagley III, and Brandon Williams. Bagley has value, but they need him as a backup center to Daniel Gafford. Brandon Williams is better than Nembhard, arguably. Powell is a franchise cornerstone and is the team's longest tenured player on the roster by a mile. And they traded for Jones at the deadline, sending Malaki Branham to Charlotte as part of the Anthony Davis trade. They clearly wanted him.

If Middleton wanted to join a team that actually cares about making the postseason, a buyout wouldn't be a surprise at all.

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