Anthony Davis wasted no time making his presence felt for the Wizards, and in the process he may have made life harder for the Warriors if they ever circle back on a deal for him.
Davis opened the season by powering Washington to a 128-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, posting a game-high 34 points and 12 rebounds while shooting 11-of-20 from the floor in 34 minutes. He also chipped in four assists, two steals and a block in a performance that looked every bit like the 10x All-Star at full force.
That kind of night can change the math fast. If Davis strings together strong early-season performances, the Wizards could be tempted to cash in while his value is hot, especially with his injury history still hanging over any long-term conversation. There’s also the question of fit if he is seeking a three or four-year extension, which may not line up neatly with Washington’s timeline.
But the more he looks like this, the more leverage swings toward the Wizards - and that’s a problem for Golden State. The Warriors are said to need a starting-caliber big man badly with the Kristaps Porzingis situation, yet the gap between what they need and what Washington can command could end up being too wide to close.
There’s also the possibility that the Wizards decide the opposite: that Davis is simply too good to move. If that’s the case, they could choose to keep him and work out the kind of extension they were not prepared to discuss during the offseason.
The night had a little extra irony to it as well. Davis did all this against Myles Turner, a player who has surfaced as a possible Warriors target since reports emerged that Golden State has been exploring Porzingis trades over the past 30 hours or so.
Turner finished with 11 points, five rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes for the Bucks, going 4-of-7 from the field and 2-of-5 from 3-point range. It was a fairly typical offensive line for him since arriving in Milwaukee, though Davis’ big scoring night doesn’t exactly reflect well on the defensive side of that matchup, especially with the Bucks giving up nearly 130 points.
At this point, Milwaukee has no interest in making a deal.
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