The Anthony Davis experiment in Dallas is officially over, and the greatest Maverick of them all has mixed feelings about how it ended.
Following the blockbuster deadline deal that sent Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards, Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki gave his honest reaction on NBA on Prime. While he understands the logic behind the move, he didn’t hide his disappointment regarding the return package and the “what ifs” surrounding the duo of Davis and rookie sensation Cooper Flagg.
“Not A Lot Came Back”
The Mavericks sent Davis (along with D’Angelo Russell and Jaden Hardy) to Washington in exchange for a package headlined by Khris Middleton, young prospects, and draft capital. For a player of Davis’s caliber, Dirk felt the haul was underwhelming.
“Looking at this deal at first glance, there’s not a lot that came back for picks or player-wise,” Nowitzki admitted. “So this is all really about financial flexibility for the future. And you know, they got rid of some contracts that were not favorable for the franchise.”
The Ghost of the Luka Trade
Dirk also touched on the elephant in the room: the trauma of the Luka Dončić trade from a year ago. By moving Davis—the centerpiece of the return for Luka—the franchise is finally closing the book on that painful chapter.
“I think the Mavs fans are happy with this. I think they didn’t want to be reminded of what happened a year ago in the Luka trade,” Dirk said.
All-In on Cooper Flagg
Despite the disappointment, Nowitzki sees the silver lining. The team is no longer trying to bridge two timelines. The keys to the franchise have been officially handed to Cooper Flagg.
“I think when AD actually played with Cooper, they played off each other really, really well… but we’ll never know,” Dirk lamented. “I think what this ultimately is now is built around Cooper. Go young… So ultimately now they’re all in on Cooper Flagg and his future.”
With Davis gone and the salary cap sheet cleared, the “Flagg Era” begins in earnest. The question remains: Did the Mavericks sell too low on AD, or was this the necessary reset button they had to press?
