Anthony Davis traded to Wizards in deadline blockbuster with Middleton, Bagley, picks

Anthony Davis is headed to the Washington Wizards in a sweeping, eight-player deal that reshapes both franchises just ahead of the NBA trade deadline. The move sends Davis—along with Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum—to Washington, while Dallas brings in Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson, and Malaki Branham plus a package of draft picks.

The trade, agreed to Wednesday, February 4, 2026 (ET), lands as Washington continues to pile up talent and optionality, while Dallas pivots again after a turbulent year of roster resets.

The trade: who went where and the picks

Here’s the basic structure of the deal.

Dallas also receives five picks total in the transaction: two first-round picks and three second-round picks. Specific protections and originating teams vary across the pick bundle.

Did Anthony Davis get traded? Yes—and he arrives hurt

Yes. Davis was traded to the Wizards, and he arrives with his status listed as out due to a hand injury. On the floor this season, Davis has averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 20 games, continuing his pattern as a dominant two-way big when available.

Availability is the headline question. Davis’ impact is rarely debated; the issue is how much of him a team can count on across a full season and postseason run.

Why Washington made the Anthony Davis trade

For a Wizards team that has spent years oscillating between retools and resets, the logic here is straightforward: acquire the highest-end talent in the deal and sort the timeline later.

Washington can now build lineups around a frontcourt centerpiece with real star gravity. Even if the roster remains a work in progress, Davis changes the nightly baseline—rim protection, defensive rebounding, and a reliable source of points inside and at the foul line.

Just as important, Washington also adds Hardy, a young guard who can scale into a larger role depending on how the roster evolves, and Russell, who can either stabilize the offense or become a movable veteran piece.

Dallas’ angle: cap relief, picks, and a reset lever

For Dallas, this reads as an attempt to regain flexibility and re-stack assets after a chaotic stretch of big swings. Middleton’s contract profile is viewed around the league as closer to “flexible veteran money” than long-term franchise money, while Bagley, Branham, and Johnson give the Mavericks a mix of short-term depth and development shots.

The picks are the real spine of Dallas’ return. Two first-rounders plus additional seconds give the front office more ways to:

• consolidate into a single star later,

• draft and develop on a cheaper timeline,

• or reshape the roster around whatever the next centerpiece becomes.

The move also reduces the immediate pressure of building around Davis’ health and workload, which had become a central risk variable for Dallas.

What it means for the Wizards roster and depth chart

Washington’s roster fit now hinges on how aggressively the team wants to compete in the short term.

If the Wizards keep Davis through the deadline and into the spring, the most likely approach is to lean into defense-first lineups and let Davis anchor everything behind the perimeter. Hardy offers a younger, attacking guard option, while Russell provides half-court creation and shooting—skills that can be useful even in uneven lineups.

There are still open questions that haven’t been publicly confirmed:

• whether Washington will explore flipping any veterans again before the deadline,

• whether any player becomes a buyout candidate,

• and how quickly Davis can return from the hand injury.

What to watch next before the deadline

Three practical things will determine how this trade is remembered:

1. Davis’ medical timeline: a clear return window would instantly change how the Wizards are evaluated.

2. Washington’s follow-up moves: if veterans are rerouted, the deal could be more about asset management than immediate wins.

3. Dallas’ next consolidation play: the new pick inventory gives Dallas options, but the direction depends on whether the team commits to a near-term push or a longer reset.

In the short run, the story is simple: Washington just acquired a true star-level big, and Dallas just bought back flexibility and draft control. The rest depends on health, timing, and what each team does with the new leverage it created.

Sources consulted: NBA.com, ESPN, Reuters, The Guardian