The Mavericks have agreed to trade 10-time All-Star big man Anthony Davis to the Wizards in an eight-player blockbuster designed to maximize Dallas' flexibility to build around star rookie Cooper Flagg, sources told ESPN.
The Mavs will send Davis and guards Jaden Hardy, D'Angelo Russell and Dante Exum to the Wizards for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round draft picks and three second-rounders, sources said.
The first-round picks the Wizards included in the deal are the Thunder's 2026 selection and the Warriors' top-20-protected pick in 2030, according to sources.
The Mavs had been aggressively exploring the market for Davis since the early November firing of former general manager Nico Harrison, a decision governor Patrick Dumont made in large part because of the fan backlash stemming from last year's trade of perennial MVP contender Luka Doncic to the Lakers.
Davis, the centerpiece of the return in the Doncic trade, was limited to only 29 games in a Mavs uniform because of a variety of injuries. He is owed $58.5 million next season, has a player option for $62.8 million in 2027-28 and is eligible to sign a contract extension in August. Davis has been out since early January because of ligament damage in his left hand.
Davis landing with the Wizards marks the second decorated, albeit injured, star player acquired this season by Washington. The rebuilding Wizards also traded for Hawks star Trae Young last month, but the veteran guard has not played since December because of knee and quadriceps injuries.
The Mavs also shed Hardy's $6 million salary and Russell's $6 million player option for next season in a trade built around the expiring contracts of Middleton, Branham and Bagley.
The Mavs dropped below the luxury tax this season with the trade, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. Dallas' payroll next season dipped to approximately $150 million in guaranteed money, giving the Mavs flexibility in an offseason in which they will likely have another lottery draft pick.
The Wizards dealt for Davis with the intent to be competitive next season after a lengthy rebuilding process. A team source said Washington prioritized keeping its own premium draft picks and homegrown young talent -- including Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and Tre Johnson -- out of the trade.
Davis, 32, is averaging 20.1 points and 11.1 rebounds in 20 games this season.
After last season's Doncic trade, Harrison declared that the Mavs would have a championship window of "three to four years" with a roster led by Davis and star guard Kyrie Irving, but that duo played only one game together.
Davis suffered an adductor strain in his Mavs debut that sidelined him for six weeks, and Irving sustained a torn ACL less than a month later, an injury he has yet to return from.
The Mavs' remarkable fortune in the draft lottery, winning the No. 1 pick despite having only a 1.8% chance, gave the franchise the opportunity to select a generational talent in Flagg and shift the focus to building around him.
Flagg, 19, has lived up to the hype despite an injury-ravaged supporting cast, averaging 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists this season.
The Mavericks (19-31) entered Wednesday on a five-game losing streak and are 12th in the Western Conference, 3.5 games behind the 10th-place Trail Blazers (23-28).