Last Piece on Mavericks From Luka Doncic-Lakers Deal Reacts to Anthony Davis Trade

Just over a year ago, the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick. And now, Christie is the only player remaining on the Mavs from that deal, as they traded Davis to the Washington Wizards at the trade deadline.

Christie entered the NBA as a Laker and had been teammates with Davis since 2022, where he grew from a second-round prospect into the quality starter he is now. In an exclusive interview with Mark Medina of Essentially Sports, he reacted to Davis being traded to the Wizards.

“[Davis] did what he could with what he was dealt, to be honest. Obviously, injuries are always tough. He stayed professional about it," Christie said. "He was continuing to work on it, rehabbing it, and trying to get back to be able to help us win games. It’s unfortunate how it all went down, where he’s no longer with us. But that’s the business of basketball.”

Davis was sent in a package including Dante Exum, D'Angelo Russell, and Jaden Hardy for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Marvin Bagley III, and Tyus Jones, who came in as part of a three-team trade with the Charlotte Hornets. The Mavericks also received the OKC Thunder's 2026 first-round pick, the Golden State Warriors' top-20 protected pick in 2030 (which would convert to a second-round pick if not conveyed), and some second-round picks.

The main purpose of the trade was cap relief, though. Trading away Davis, Russell, and Hardy cleared $70 million in salary off the books for next season, and the only player in the trade the Mavs received with a guaranteed salary for next season is AJ Johnson, who is still on his measly rookie deal. That clears them out of the luxury tax entirely for next season while opening up the full mid-level exception, which is a massive win for the Mavs.

Feb 3, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Max Christie (00) warms up before the game against the Boston Celtics at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Anthony Davis Could No Longer be a Maverick

Had Anthony Davis stayed healthy, he likely still would be on the team, but he had played in a total of 31 games between the regular season and Play-In Tournament since arriving in Dallas over a year ago. That's nowhere near good enough for how much he's making.

The fact that the Mavericks got anything back of value is a near miracle. It was looking dire before the Wizards swooped in with a halfway decent offer. Could they have gotten more in the offseason? Maybe, but it wasn't worth waiting to find out. He's been seriously hurt four times in a year; he absolutely could've gotten hurt again.

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