The Anthony Davis trade hides a twist that could give Mavericks the last laugh

When the Dallas Mavericks traded Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards ahead of the trade deadline, many media members and fans criticized the lack of talented young players or premium draft capital the Mavericks got in return, but their return isn't as bad as many initially posited.

The most coveted young player they got in return for Davis was AJ Johnson, who has barely played since becoming a Maverick, but many people are glancing past the 2026 first-round pick (via the Oklahoma City Thunder) that Washington sent to Dallas in the deal. In all likelihood, this pick will fall somewhere at the end of the first round, with a likely chance of it being the last pick in the first round at 30.

However, the 2026 draft is arguably as talented a draft class the NBA has seen since 2018, and the Mavericks could definitely get a solid find toward the end of the first round to pair with their presumptive lottery pick in this year’s draft.

Dallas could quietly steal a contributor at pick 30

It wasn’t all too long ago when the Mavericks selected Jalen Brunson at the top of the second round in 2018, and while the chances of drawing an All-Star-level player at this stage of the draft are extremely slim, it’s certainly not impossible given the talent in this upcoming class.

The Mavericks made the Davis trade primarily for financial relief, but drawing a role player who could contribute at the end of the first round could undoubtedly shift the optics of the Davis trade from a national perspective. There are plenty of talented big men projected to go toward the end of the first round, so Dallas could do itself a huge service in that department, considering Daniel Gafford's time with the team may be limited at this point.

This could flip the narrative of the Anthony Davis trade

Regardless of what position the Mavericks elect to draft for with the presumptive 30th pick from the Wizards, just getting someone who could eventually become a rotational player would help shift the Davis trade in their favor in the long run. Everyone Dallas gave up in the Davis trade was barely playing or wasn't a long-term fit, so the Mavericks are already looking like winners in this deal, so long as Davis doesn't elevate the Wizards to another stratosphere alongside Trae Young next season.

There's obviously the possibility that Dallas drafts someone in this range who doesn't end up panning out whatsoever, but people mustn't be quick to discount the possibility of adding an intriguing piece with the 30th pick, even if it's a player that takes a little time to blossom into his role.

The Mavericks' front office is doing the right thing by prioritizing building through the draft en route to eventually building a contender around Cooper Flagg, so it will be interesting to see who the Mavericks target with their late first-rounder come the end of June.