Wizards Land Anthony Davis, Jazz Add Jaren Jackson Jr. in Consecutive Deadline Swings
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New York — Two franchises that spent most of the season chasing lottery odds abruptly shifted course this week, completing separate trades that bring All-NBA caliber big men to Washington and Utah just days before the NBA’s trade deadline.
The Utah Jazz struck first on Tuesday, acquiring forward Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies. Twenty-four hours later, the Washington Wizards reached an agreement with the Los Angeles Lakers for center Anthony Davis. Both deals centered on expiring contracts and modest draft assets, signaling a preference for immediate roster upgrades over long-term draft positioning.
Why the moves happened
League executives point to several factors behind the sudden aggressiveness:
- A widely regarded strong 2026 draft class compared with a weaker 2027 pool.
- An increasingly thin free-agent market caused by extension-friendly CBA rules and a hard salary-floor requirement.
- Diminishing returns from prolonged tanking and limited interest around the league in high-salary stars outside the top tier.
Utah and Washington both possessed clean cap sheets. Aside from Lauri Markkanen in Salt Lake City and Trae Young in the nation’s capital, no player on either roster earns more than $15 million, making it easier to absorb contracts exceeding $50 million per season.
Trade details
The Jazz sent expiring salaries and draft considerations to Memphis, highlighted by Phoenix’s unprotected 2031 first-round pick headed to the Grizzlies. Washington employed a similar template with Los Angeles, packaging short-term money and mid-level picks for Davis.
Jackson, 26, is a 6-10 shot-blocking, three-point shooting “unicorn” coveted across the league. Davis, 32, remains a reliable 20-point, 10-rebound threat when healthy and anchors the paint defensively.
Immediate questions
Utah, currently sixth in the lottery standings, now fields a towering frontcourt of Jackson (6-10), Markkanen (7-1) and Walker Kessler (7-2). Kessler becomes a restricted free agent this summer, and rival clubs are expected to test the Jazz’s spending resolve with a sizable offer sheet.
In Washington, league sources anticipate limited court time for Davis and Young over the season’s final weeks while the Wizards attempt to preserve their top-eight protected pick. Both stars are expected to negotiate long-term extensions in July, decisions that will shape the franchise’s financial outlook.
For now, the back-to-back acquisitions highlight a broader league trend: rebuilding teams are increasingly willing to exchange draft capital for established talent rather than endure additional years at the bottom of the standings.
Source: ESPN
