Wizards Acquire Anthony Davis in Blockbuster Trade with Mavericks

This trade comes as almost a complete surprise to nearly everyone, as there were hardly any rumors about Washington being in trade talks for Davis. News came out earlier today that the Dallas Mavericks were looking to shop him in hopes of finding a suitable trade partner, but there were almost no connections to that spot being D.C.

Washington had already made headlines not too long ago after acquiring All-Star guard Trae Young, who has yet to suit up for the squad. The Wizards front office has clearly decided that the time is now to begin making a real playoff push, something that has been directly reflected by recent moves.

Washington can now pair the All-Star duo of Young and Davis alongside an already stacked young core of Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly and many more, making the vision of where this team is heading very clear.

Even more impressive, Wizards GM Will Dawkins was able to do this deal without giving up their own first-round pick this season, meaning that Washington can continue the tank this year in hopes of adding yet another great young piece in the 2026 NBA Draft.

As for the long-term outlook, things are still somewhat unclear in regards to how Washington wishes to handle things. Young still has a player option looming this offseason, meaning that he could already detach himself from the Wizards as soon as this summer.

As for Davis, Washington will have him under contract for at least the next three seasons — barring another trade or a very unlikely buyout — but at worst the Wizards are contractually obligated to him for the foreseeable future. This is a great thing in an ideal world as, when healthy, Davis is undoubtedly one of the best basketball players in the world.

However, it is no secret that the 32-year-old has dealt with an extensive injury history that has hindered his availability in recent seasons. Either way, this move is a huge step in the right direction for Washington as they continue to look to break away from the rebuilding purgatory that they have been in and take the leap into playoff contention.