The big Anthony Davis trade is stuck right now because the Dallas Mavericks want to make another deal first. Dallas sent Davis to the Washington Wizards, but they are now trying to trade Marvin Bagley III before completing that move. Bagley was part of the players Dallas got from Washington in the Davis trade.
According to Sports Illustrated, the Mavericks had to trade Davis because he only played 29 games since joining Dallas about a year ago. In return, Dallas got Khris Middleton, Malaki Branham, AJ Johnson, Bagley III, a 2026 first-round pick from Oklahoma City, a top-20 2030 first-round pick from Golden State, and three second-round picks in 2026, 2027, and 2029. Dallas also sent D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy, and Dante Exum to Washington.
Reports say other teams want to trade for Bagley, and Dallas is using that interest to their advantage. Bagley was the second pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and is playing well this season with 10.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He is also on a minimum contract, which makes him easy to trade.
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Dallas wants to keep their salary cap flexible for future moves
The Mavericks never planned to keep Bagley on their team. They want to trade him for extra draft picks or other assets. Dallas is being careful about how much money they take back in any trade. The team wants to sign players like Ryan Nembhard or Moussa Cisse to regular NBA contracts later, so they need to keep their salary cap clean.
The Los Angeles Lakers have shown interest in Bagley. Deandre Ayton has not been playing well for them, and Jaxson Hayes has been their best center, which is not good for a team trying to win. Bagley would be better than what they have now. However, Dallas does not want to help the Lakers at all, even if it means getting a slightly worse deal from another team. Much like recent controversies involving NFL personalities, team rivalries can influence front office decisions beyond just basketball reasons.
Other teams could also trade for Bagley if the Lakers deal does not happen. The Charlotte Hornets need more help at center even though Ryan Kalkbrenner and Moussa Diabate have played well. The Chicago Bulls have many guards after recent trades and could use Bagley instead of Jalen Smith and Zach Collins.
The Toronto Raptors need a backup for Jakob Poeltl and have been looking for centers. Bagley would be cheap, and Toronto could send Garrett Temple to Dallas. The Golden State Warriors also want cheap frontcourt players and could use Bagley’s athleticism.
Dallas is taking their time to get the best deal possible for Bagley. They want to turn a player they do not want into future draft picks while also refusing to help their rival team. In sports, these moves sometimes spark debates similar to when fans face legal issues over incidents during games. This shows smart planning by the Mavericks front office.
Published: Feb 5, 2026 02:00 pm