The Wasshington Wizards trade for Anthony Davis came as a surprise to everyone, including AD.
With a Hall of Fame resume and aspirations to contend for a championship sooner rather than later, it was made clear from both Davis and his agent Rich Paul that any move from the Dallas Mavericks would be preferred that he be sent to a place where he'd have the opportunity to contend for a championship; though he truly didn't want to be traded again.
And after how abrupt his time with the Los Angeles Lakers ended, it's hard to blame him.
Furthermore, it's pretty obvious that the Dallas Mavericks were more concerned with their end of any potential trade for Davis rather than sending him to his preferred landing spot, which is exactly how the Wizards blockbuster acquisition of the big man came into fruition behind closed doors.
Nonethless, until the big man sees the floor for the Wizards alongside his new superstar running mate in Trae Young, it'll be difficult to gauge if Washington made the right swing to add the 32-year-old forward, or if their confidence in the young core persuaded them to make too bold of a move too early.
Obviously, time will tell on the Davis front, but as of right now, we can only judge the trade by the players who have seen the court since the variety of moves made by the Wizards ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Fortunately, early indications suggests that the Wizards may have found yet another hidden gem within their acquisition of Davis.
Jaden Hardy could be a bright spot for Wizards
When the full details of the Wizards' package to acquire Anthony Davis released it seemed a little steep.
With a package built around the expiring contract of Khris Middleton alongside Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson and draft compensation, it was clear that not only did the team view AD as a key piece to what they're trying to build, but that another player they were interested in may have been added.
With the Wizards already moving on from guard Dante Exum and the reports that D'Angelo Russell could be next, it was clear that those two backcourt players weren't a true trade chip in the team's eyes, but instead salary fillers.
However, the lone player that has made their debut for the team from the deadline is former second-round pick Jaden Hardy, who's quietly already proven why Washington was intrigued enough to add him to the deal.
Hardy is averaging 7.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.9 assists on the season, while shooting 40.3% from field goal range and 38% from three in a limited role of only 12.7 minutes per game on the season.
Despite that, he's shown flashes of how impactful he can be in years prior for the Mavs, specifically in his first three seasons in Dallas.
In his debut with the Wizards, the former G-League Ignite standout totaled 11 points, two rebunds and one assist in only 15 minutes of play.
At 23, the former second-rounder has plenty to like about his game and with a prime opportunity to carve out a role in the team's backcourt with Young still sidelined, Hardy already has a lot going for him considering the team opted to move on from every other player landed in the deal to bring AD to the DMV.
With the right development working alongside the other young prospects in the Wizards system and a head coach in Brian Keefe, who players seem to truly rave about playing for, Hardy could have found a situatiion that allows for him to take the next step. in his career.