Mavericks quietly pulled off a once-impossible feat in the Anthony Davis trade

The Dallas Mavericks might've caught a break in the Anthony Davis trade with the Washington Wizards, as they were only predicted to get expiring contracts for him ahead of the trade deadline. Instead, the Mavs got a total of five draft picks, and now they have some cushion to bring in talent around Cooper Flagg's future.

The Luka Doncic trade has been (and will always be) criticized as the worst in sports history, simply because of the return. Doncic, a generational talent, was traded for one first-round pick along with Davis and Max Christie, and it was malpractice to say the absolute least.

How could a once-in-a-generational talent be traded for only one first-rounder? Fans around the league were scratching their heads that Doncic was only worth one pick, while Mikal Bridges was worth five. Desmond Bane was worth four first-rounders. Even when they had no choice but to get rid of Davis, Michael Finley, and Matt Riccardi should be praised for this trade.

Mavericks should be thrilled that they got draft capital for Anthony Davis

It didn't seem like Dallas would get much of a deal for Davis, as Dallas seemingly only wanted to get his money off the books. This would've been a disastrous trade if he were dealt for only expiring contracts, and it would've made the Doncic trade look even worse. Instead, Riccardi and Finley cleaned up Nico Harrison's mess, doing the best they could.

Draft capital was badly needed for the Mavs, as their only fully protected first-round pick was in 2026, and their next was in 2031. The Mavs aren't competing now, and it made sense for them to tank to prepare for 2026. Now, they don't have to depend on 2026 to help Flagg's future.

Khris Middleton is a proven champion and a veteran that every team would love, but he may be a buyout candidate. Marvin Bagley III never turned out to be the lottery pick that he was projected to be, but the Mavs need some big man help, and he can be of immediate help as a veteran player. Malaki Branham's minutes in the NBA have dipped since his days with the San Antonio Spurs, but he can be of help off the bench if needed.

Mavs fans seem most excited about AJ Johnson, who's 6-foot-5, 160 pounds, and a highly athletic young player who's not afraid to drive inside and create his own way of scoring. Johnson could be a nice young piece who can grow the most with Flagg. Johnson seems like the most attractive piece in this trade.

This trade isn't necessarily an A+ for Dallas, but it's about the best return they could've gotten. Davis and his injuries were going to be hard to ignore. Injuries were the first concern that popped up for Mavs fans when Davis was traded to Dallas. As long as another team took Davis off Dallas' hands, while offering the best deal possible for Dallas, it's just fine in the long run.

The Davis era will always be known as the most embarrassing in Mavs history, but as long as they were able to secure Flagg's future, it's an outcome that fans should be grateful for.