This Underrated Aspect Makes Mavericks' Anthony Davis Trade Worth It

The Dallas Mavericks are hoping to move forward after trading Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards.

The Mavericks made the move with the future in mind, which should hopefully lead to more flexibility down the line for the team.

"The Mavs gave up Anthony Davis in what was essentially a salary dump a year after he was the centerpiece in the return of the disastrous Luka Doncic deal," ESPN insider Tim MacMahon wrote.

"Dallas' interim co-GMs also shed another combined $12 million in salary next season by including guards D'Angelo Russell and Jaden Hardy in the trade with the Wizards, who sent middling draft compensation and expiring contracts to the Mavs. Dallas has some financial flexibility to begin what it hopes will be a quick rebuild around rookie Cooper Flagg."

Mavericks Building Cap Space for Offseason

Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis looks to pass against the Utah Jazz. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Mavericks will have a decent amount of cap space to work with in the summer as they look to build a team centered around No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. The Mavs will have Kyrie Irving back as well, so getting them a supporting cast that could possibly compete in the Western Conference would be ideal for them.

The Mavericks don't control their first-round picks from 2027-30, so they will have no incentive next season to be a bad team. This means the Mavs should try to build a roster that can contend in the 2026-27 campaign, which means they should be viewed as a big spender for free agency this summer.

The Mavericks have 10 players under contract for next season, but they could also move on from Klay Thompson, who will be entering the final year of his deal at nearly $17.5 million.

Ultimately, the Mavericks are going to be in flux next season, but they definitely got off to a good start by trading Davis, Russell, and Hardy, which gave them some flexibility to work with for this upcoming free agency period.

The Mavericks are back in action tomorrow night when they take on the Sacramento Kings, who have the worst record in the NBA this season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT inside the American Airlines Center. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.

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