The Washington Wizards are keeping the long game in mind-and Anthony Davis is still very much a part of it.
General manager Will Dawkins gave an update on Davis’ status this weekend, and while the All-Star big man remains sidelined with a left hand injury, the expectation is that he’ll be back on the court before season’s end.
Davis injured the hand back on January 8 in a game against the Utah Jazz, with an MRI later confirming ligament damage. Since then, the plan has been all about recovery-and it’s a plan the Wizards are sticking to.
“He’s heading back to Dallas to continue his rehab,” Dawkins said. “He’s got a strong team down there.
Our doctors have been in sync with theirs, and our staff will be with him through the process. It’s been working, and we want to keep that momentum going.”
The next big checkpoint? A doctor’s visit during the All-Star break.
That evaluation will be key in determining Davis’ progress and timeline. After that, the expectation is that Davis will rejoin the team in D.C.
Davis, who turns 33 in March, is in the middle of a $54.1 million season and is eligible for a four-year, $275 million extension this August. He’s a 10-time All-Star, an NBA champion, and one of the most versatile bigs the league has seen-averaging 24.0 points, 10.7 boards, 2.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 2.3 blocks across his career.
His journey to Washington has been anything but ordinary. After suiting up for the Pelicans and Lakers, Davis was traded to the Mavericks last season in the blockbuster Luka Dončić deal. He played just 29 games in Dallas before the Wizards made their move, pairing him with another high-profile acquisition: Trae Young.
And while Davis hasn’t suited up for Washington yet, Dawkins made it clear-his presence is already shaping the team’s identity.
“A.D. is a special player,” Dawkins said. “He changes the game on both ends.
Offensively, he draws doubles, he scores from all over. Defensively, he anchors us.
When you’ve got him at the four and Alex [presumably Alex Len] at the five, it gives us real rim protection. Add in our young wings-Bilal, Kyshawn, Jamir Watkins-and we’ve got length, we’ve got athleticism.
That’s what we’re building toward: a team that can defend the paint, get out in transition, and let our guys grow.”
The vision is clear: surround Davis with switchable defenders and capable shooters, and let him be the two-way force he’s always been. And with Trae Young in the fold, the Wizards are hoping to unlock a dynamic inside-out duo.
“Trae probably hasn’t played with someone quite like Anthony Davis,” Dawkins noted. “When you’ve got a guy like that rolling to the rim in pick-and-roll, and Trae leading the league in assists and assist percentage, that’s a dangerous combo.
But it’s not just about those two-we’ve got shooters, we’ve got playmakers. The idea is to spread the floor, move the ball, and not rely on just one guy.”
That’s the blueprint in D.C.-a balanced, modern offense built around two stars with complementary skill sets, and a defense anchored by Davis’ elite instincts and presence in the paint.
The Wizards are still waiting on their full squad to come together, with Young also recovering from a sprained knee and bruised quad. But when healthy, this roster has the makings of something intriguing-especially with Davis in the middle of it all.
For now, it’s about patience and progress. But if Davis gets back to full strength, he could be the piece that changes everything for a Wizards team looking to turn the corner.