Wizards' Kyle Kuzma Trade Continues Paying Dividends

The Washington Wizards' monumental trade for Anthony Davis didn't emerge out of nowhere, despite the lack of reporting that surrounded the blockbuster.

Part of what makes the swing as special as it is is just how low-risk it really is for the Wizards. They're bringing an admittedly-brittle 10-time All-Star aboard in an attempt to escape the long rebuild alongside Trae Young and all of the young prospects they've spent years developing, yet acquiring Davis didn't cost any of those prized in-house pieces.

Washington Wizards Forward Anthony Davis and Dallas Mavericks Forward Khris Middleton — Feb 8, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In exchange for AD, the Wizards sent Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson and Malaki Branham to Dallas, as well as two low-leverage first-round picks and three seconds. Every player departing the Wizards not named Johnson is on their own expiring contract, with none of the men mentioned having been actually drafted by the team who just sent them packing.

The Wizards could only a trade package like that thanks to years of savvy trades and asset accumulation. And while their ability to continually parlay Bradley Beal's once-unmovable-looking contract landed them with Trae Young in a publicly-impressive chain of events, another handy swap landed Washington with just enough key pieces to woo the Mavericks.

The Trade that Keeps on Giving

What once looked like the Wizards' biggest misstep has only grown in value in the years since. They had the chance to trade Kyle Kuzma at the peak of his value to a handsome package from these same Mavericks two seasons ago, but allowed him to blow the exchange up due to his lack of desire to join that specific team.

Wizards' management instead pivoted to the Milwaukee Bucks, landing them a return headlined by Middleton, Johnson and a future pick. Those known pieces lacked much trade value on the outset; Middleton was on the decline, athletically shot after years of accumulated lower-leg injuries, while the intriguing Johnson hadn't yet figure out how to make a name for himself in the bigs. But between his upside and Middleton's salary, they were enough to help swing the Davis move.

Dallas Mavericks Guard AJ Johnson — Feb 3, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard AJ Johnson (4) signals to a teammate during a game against the New York Knicks during the first quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images | Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Kuzma, for his part, hasn't gotten as much done in Milwaukee as he may have hoped. As if there was any doubt as to who won the trade, his Bucks, who remain on a contending clock, are only seven games up on the Wizards, and have lost three of their four inter-season matchups against Washington over the course of the 2025-26 campaign.

The Mavericks were incentivized to dump Davis' money, prioritizing a full-on rebuild to set Cooper Flagg up with a competent-enough team to trek forward with. And while there's no guarantee that the All-Star will be healthy enough to meaningfully help the Wizards in the long-term, their knack for parlaying fringe pieces into franchise cornerstones continues growing more impressive by the year.

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