The Dallas Mavericks pulled off a franchise-altering trade on Wednesday, officially moving on from another franchise-altering trade that took place just over a year ago. Gone is Anthony Davis, and with him the last remnants of Nico Harrison’s ill-fated vision.
Davis and the cap relief his departure affords the Mavericks is rightfully the headline, however there are also four new faces headed to Dallas. On the surface, their value is in said cap relief, as three of the four are expiring contracts after this season. That said, the Mavericks front office may have plans for some or all of these players beyond this offseason. We’ll take a look at who is coming to Dallas, their season stats, contract status and how they may fit long-term.
Stats Summary: 10.3 Points, 3.9 Rebounds, 3.3 Assists per game – 34 games played
Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent after 2025-26 season
The number 39 pick in the 2012 Draft spent most of his NBA career with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he won the 2021 NBA Championship. Middleton was a big part of the Bucks’ success, playing the role of Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Batman. He also has an Olympic Gold Medal to his name.
At age 34 and playing Cooper Flagg’s most ideal position, Middleton is unlikely to be a long-term Maverick. One has to figure a chance to sign on with a contender this offseason is appealing to him, plus he does not fit the Mavs’ rebuild timeline. With Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington alongside Flagg, he is not first in line for the forward positions either. Still, even if he lasts only half of a season in Dallas, he could still bring valuable mentorship to Flagg and a veteran presence in general.
4.6 Points, 1.6 Rebounds, 0.8 Assists per game – 28 games played
Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent after 2025-26 season
The number 20 pick in the 2022 Draft is a lesser known quantity. He logged decent minutes in his first two seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, then saw a drop-off in year three before joining the Washington Wizards this year. He hits the three ball at a solid 37.8% clip and his draft profile suggested he was a capable three-level scorer coming into the league.
Branham gives the Mavs plenty of flexibility. He certainly fits the Flagg timeline at just 22-years old and it will cost Dallas nothing to give him some burn. He has proven capable of at least dropping 10 points per game given the chance, and is essentially a zero-risk player for Dallas. They can see how he pans out and either walk away or commit to him, likely for cheap, if they like what they see.
2.8 Points, 1.2 Rebounds, 0.9 Assists per game – 25 games played
Contract Status: Under contract through 2026-27 season; team option for 2027-28 season
The number 23 pick in the 2024 Draft just turned 21-years old at the start of December. His road to the NBA was unique in that he committed to the University of Texas, then instead opted to go to the NBL before the Bucks drafted him. Standing 6’5” he has the length to defend on the perimeter but will need to fill out his 160-pound frame to endure the rigors of NBA life.
Like Branham, Johnson is a low-risk player who is certainly on the Flagg timeline. He averaged 9.1 points per game last season, but is raw any way you look at it with less-than-ideal shooting efficiency (36.8% overall; 27% from deep). Being under contract should give the Mavs some time to figure out what they have, with minimal financial impact on their bigger plans.
10.1 Points, 5.7 Rebounds, 1.5 Assists per game – 38 games played
Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent after 2025-26 season
The number 2 pick in the 2018 Draft is the most intriguing acquisition of the four. Bagley came into the league with plenty of hype but did not live up to the expectations of his draft status. His NBA career has spanned the Sacramento Kings, Detroit Pistons, Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards, none of whom were particularly good for any consistent stretch during his respective tenures, so it will be interesting to see how he may fit with a rebuilding Dallas team.
Bagley will turn 27-years old in March, so he doesn’t have the youth of Branham and Johnson, but it’s difficult to categorize him as “too old.” He may not be in his prime when Flagg is, but it’s unreasonable to expect the team to surround Flagg with 20-year olds and hope for the best. Bagley could easily be a longer-term fit in Dallas and the Mavs are in a good position to see where they can go with him. If Daniel Gafford ends up being traded in the next few hours, Bagley could be a built-in replacement (they have similar numbers, but Bagley is happy to put up the occasional shot from downtown). If Gafford sticks around and Dereck Lively’s injury history proves dubious, Dallas won’t be totally strapped. If Gafford and Lively are the answer going forward, Bagley can play some power forward as part of a deep group of bigs, or he can simply walk or be part of a sign-and-trade. Like the others, Bagley affords the Mavs a lot of flexibility they didn’t have on Wednesday morning.
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