Mavs' Depth Chart, Salary Cap, Draft Picks After Anthony Davis, Luka, Lakers Trade
February 2, 2025
Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison made what for good or bad will be a legacy-defining move Sunday morning.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported the Mavs are sending Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, with other pieces included in the deal. Dallas also received the Lakers' 2029 first-round pick and guard Max Christie.
Davis will join was already a solid frontcourt.
Mavericks Depth Chart
- Point Guard: Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jaden Hardy
- Shooting Guard: Klay Thompson, Max Christie, Quentin Grimes
- Small Forward: P.J. Washington, Max Christie, Quentin Grimes
- Power Forward: Anthony Davis, Naji Marshall, P.J. Washington
- Center: Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, Anthony Davis
Bobby Marks of ESPN provided the Mavericks' new outlook in terms of finances and draft capital:
Harrison told ESPN's Tim MacMahon that swapping Dončić for Davis makes the team "built to win now and in the future" thanks to its improved defense.
The small salary cap flexibility Dallas created from this trade will be beneficial because it's hard to see the current roster as a true title contender. All things considered, Dončić is simply a more valuable player than Davis, and Christie isn't enough of a difference-maker to raise the Mavericks' ceiling.
Coveting Davis specifically is a little puzzling as well. Harrison emphasized his defensive impact, yet the Mavs had a strong two-deep center rotation with Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II. Protecting the paint wasn't really an issue before.
The presence of Gafford and Lively means Davis will slot in as the power forward, and that's not his best position when he remains a sub-30 percent three-point shooter.
The domino effect trickles down further since P.J. Washington will have to play small forward more than he ever has. There's a clear difference between utilizing Washington as a small-ball 4 and having him operate on the wing.
Trading the 25-year-old Dončić for Davis, 31, puts an even higher emphasis on the Mavericks to win now. Beyond the gap in their respective ages, Davis has a worse track record in terms of injuries.
Harrison is putting his reputation on the line with this one.
Maybe history will prove him correct in moving on from Dončić much earlier than expected, and Davis could be the optimal piece alongside Kyrie Irving. But it still looks like further reinforcements are needed in order to better last year's runner-up finish in the NBA Finals.
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