The Anthony Davis saga is complete in Dallas. With Luka Doncic not on his way back, here is a final look at the Mavs' return for their beloved superstar.
There was "The Trade."
Then, Nico Harrison was fired on Nov. 11.
Months later, Anthony Davis is traded to the Washington Wizards.
Now? The Dallas Mavericks - and their still-betrayed fans - get a final look at the quantitative cost of trading Luka Doncic, the beloved All-NBA superstar, just over one year ago.
Davis was sent to D.C. in exchange for a haul, something Harrison hilariously couldn't get for Doncic, who is younger, less injury-prone, and arguably already a better player all-time.
The Mavs on Wednesday received the expiring contract of 34-year-old Khris Middleton, young shooting guards AJ Johnson and Malaki Branham, serviceable big man Marvin Bagley III, two first-round draft picks, and three second-round picks.
Going back to the infamous Doncic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavs retain pieces from the initial return in Max Christie and a first-round draft picks in the 2029.
There are a lot of future draft assets to keep track of, but according to ESPN's Shams Charania, Dallas is receiving this year's Oklahoma City Thunder first-round pick, a 2030 protected first-round pick via the Golden State Warriors, and second-rounders from the Phoenix Suns (2026), Chicago Bulls (2027) and Houston Rockets (2029) in addition to the future pick from the Lakers.
Nothing - not even the removal of Harrison and Davis - may get Mavs fans to forgive the franchise for shipping Doncic, but Wednesday's trade is a step somewhat in the right direction ... it just came after a long series of tumbles the opposite way that have led us to this point.
The most beneficial part of this trade for the Mavs is the financial flexibility the franchise now has to prioritze star rookie Cooper Flagg as the official face of the franchise (as if his 40 points-per-game average over the last week was finally the straw that broke the camel's back on that idea).
Dallas refills it's draft chest and will no longer need to worry about a contract extension for Davis that would've been crippling for a roster trying to build a future around a teenager.
But, is that enough?
Most will still say no, and that will always be the correct answer given it was never Harrison's doing to land Flagg. The generational rookie is a free ticket past, maybe, the basement-level despair that comes in a rebuild, and a steer in the direction the franchise took when Doncic first arrived.
What the Mavericks do from this point forward - in hiring a general manager, scouting and selecting draft prospects, and ultimately giving Flagg enough to win - will determine the real conclusion to this saga.