Anthony Davis trade closes books on disastrous Luka Doncic deal

The Wizards on expiring deals heading to Dallas are all unlikely to be Mavericks after April, save AJ Johnson, the No. 23 pick from the 2024 draft, who is averaging 2.8 points.

If someone had proposed trading Doncic for a package of Max Christie, AJ Johnson, three low-quality first-round picks and a handful of seconds, they'd have been rightly laughed at. Yet, that's the return the Mavericks got for Doncic, who is leading the NBA in scoring with 33.4 PPG and will start the All-Star Game.

Lottery luck and Cooper Flagg threw the Mavericks a lifeline

The only positive from the disastrous Doncic deal was that the Mavericks, an NBA Finals team in 2024, cratered so badly that they ended up in the draft lottery. They defied the odds — they had only a 1.8 percent chance at the No. 1 pick — and ended up with super-prospect Cooper Flagg.

The Mavericks now have a relatively clean slate to build around Flagg, but they're still low on draft resources. They owe their first-round picks to other teams outright or in swaps from 2027-30, limiting their ability to add premium draft talent around Flagg after the 2026 draft.

Meanwhile, the team endured an unplanned rebuild while alienating their fan base, whose relentless chants of "Fire Nico" extended to other sports venues in Dallas — even Medieval Times.

Ultimately, the Doncic trade cost the Mavericks a Hall of Fame guard, their general manager's job and a prime window to contend. They have a chance to rebuild around another generational superstar in Flagg, but there's one big concern.

This is still the owner and the organization that traded Doncic for Davis. Their future success is far from guaranteed.