Washington Wizards Updated Depth Chart After Anthony Davis Blockbuster Trade

The Dallas Mavericks pulled another big one, trading away Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards. They sent the 10-time All-Star to the capital along with Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum.

In exchange, they received Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, 2 first-round picks and 3 second-round picks. The Mavs now have some draft capital to work with in other trades or if they want to rebuild around their young star Cooper Flagg.

Here is an updated depth chart for the Wizards with their latest additions:

The Wizards(13-36) are in 14th place in the Western Conference standings and have a low chance of making the playoffs this season. Tanking is a better option for them, given that they have resources to build around their young core.

Anthony Davis now has an opportunity to start fresh and redeem himself after having an injury-prone season with the Mavericks. He played only 20 games while averaging 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 50.8% shooting.

Why did the Mavericks trade Anthony Davis to the Wizards?

The Mavericks’ trading Anthony Davis raises a few eyebrows, given that the 10-time All-Star was a significant piece that Dallas received in the Luka Doncic trade. The Mavs most likely traded away Davis to start a new era in Dallas centered around their young star, Cooper Flagg.

Apart from Anthony Davis, the trade involved Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum, all key rotational players in Jason Kidd’s team. Sending them away signals a fresh start.

The Mavs traded away more veteran players and received more younger players. Jaden Hardy (23) was the only player below 25 years old to leave Dallas, while Khris Middleton (34) is the only player above 30 years old to arrive in Dallas as a part of the trade. The trade also had positive financial implications for the team.

NBA insider Bobby Marks listed the trade benefits for the Mavericks in a tweet on Wednesday.

“The Mavericks now have the resources, starting with a likely lottery pick (and a late first) and financial/roster resources to build their roster around Cooper Flagg,” Marks wrote. “Dallas has $150M in guaranteed money next year, well below the tax and apron. For this season, Dallas drops below the luxury tax and both aprons. They have flexibility in the next 24 hours to continue building up their draft assets.”

The Mavericks (19-31) are in 12th place in the West standings and have a low chance of making the playoffs this season. So, building for the future is the best possible option they could have gone for in their current position.