As the NBA trade deadline inches closer, the deals are starting to heat up-and Wednesday brought a major shakeup involving two former Ohio State standouts. Just a day after veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr. was dealt to the Bulls, a blockbuster trade between the Dallas Mavericks and Washington Wizards is sending D’Angelo Russell and Malaki Branham in opposite directions, in a deal that also features All-Star Anthony Davis on the move.
According to reports, Davis headlines the trade, heading to Washington alongside Jaden Hardy, Dante Exum, and Russell. In return, Dallas receives Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Marvin Bagley III, and Branham, plus a haul of draft capital that includes two first-round picks. It’s a bold move for both franchises-one looking to reload around a new core, the other betting big on proven star power.
For Russell, this marks another chapter in a well-traveled NBA career. Now in his 11th season, the former No. 2 overall pick has worn a handful of jerseys since leaving Columbus in 2015, but he’s consistently brought scoring and playmaking wherever he’s gone.
His lone season at Ohio State in 2014-15 remains one of the most electric in school history-he averaged 19.3 points, 5.7 boards, and 5.0 assists per game as a freshman, earning consensus first-team All-American honors and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award. That season ended in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32, but Russell’s star had already risen.
Since then, he’s carved out a solid NBA résumé: an All-Star nod with the Nets in 2019, stints with the Warriors, Timberwolves, and Lakers (twice), and most recently, a stop in Dallas. Across his career, he’s averaged 17 points and 5.6 assists per game-numbers that speak to his ability to both score and facilitate. In Washington, he’ll likely be leaned on as a veteran presence alongside Davis and Trae Young, forming a new-look trio that could make some noise in the East.
Branham, meanwhile, heads to Dallas as a player still very much on the rise. The 6-foot-4 guard burst onto the scene during the 2021-22 season at Ohio State, shaking off a slow start to become one of the Big Ten’s most efficient scorers. He averaged 13.7 points per game and shot over 41% from deep, earning him the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award-just like Russell before him.
Selected 20th overall by the Spurs in the 2022 NBA Draft, Branham showed glimpses of high-level scoring in San Antonio before being moved to Washington last summer. Now, he gets a fresh opportunity in Dallas, where his sharpshooting and youth could be a strong fit alongside rookie sensation Cooper Flagg. The Mavericks have clearly prioritized building around Flagg, and adding a versatile, floor-spacing guard like Branham gives them another weapon in the backcourt.
It’s rare to see two former Buckeye Freshman of the Year winners swapped for one another, but that’s exactly what this trade delivers. For Russell, it’s a chance to guide a new-look Wizards team with championship aspirations. For Branham, it’s a shot to grow with one of the league’s most intriguing young cores.
As the playoff push begins to take shape, both players will be looking to make an immediate impact-and this trade could be the spark that sets their next chapters in motion.