Anthony Davis is heading into his first full season with the Washington Wizards, but the bigger question already hanging over the season is whether he’ll still be there after the February trade deadline.
The latest reporting from The Athletic’s David Aldridge and Josh Robbins makes the outlook pretty clear: Washington is highly unlikely to hand Davis the maximum extension he wants.
“But there’s almost no chance the Wizards will give him that max extension - not with his injury history, not at his age, not with the team in this stage of its development and the punitive first and second aprons looming.”
That’s the heart of the issue. Davis has a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season, and if he declines it, he could be in line for a four-year deal worth roughly $276 million. But a commitment of that size would be a major swing for a player whose health has become the central concern.
Davis remains one of the league’s top two-way forces when he’s on the floor. The problem is getting him there consistently.
The 33-year-old has topped 62 games just once in the last eight seasons, and last year he was limited to 20 appearances before a hand injury ended his season. He finished with 20.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.
Washington’s books only make the situation trickier. The Wizards already locked up Trae Young on a four-year, $213 million deal this summer, and they have AJ Dybantsa, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and other young pieces who may eventually command major extensions of their own. Adding another massive deal for Davis would squeeze the team’s flexibility fast.
Davis, for his part, isn’t in any rush to settle things now.
“When the season is over. I’m going to go through the season, try to do what I do at a high level, and then, when it’s over, you know, sit down and have those key conversations again with the front office.”
That leaves Washington staring at a possible decision point before Feb. 11. If no extension comes together, the Wizards may have to decide whether to move him rather than risk losing leverage later.
Rich Paul, Davis’s agent, looms large in the process. Aldridge and Robbins noted that Paul has likely already taken stock of the market for his client.
The Wizards got Davis from the Mavericks at last season’s trade deadline, with Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum also coming back in the deal. That move came one year after Dallas acquired Davis from the Lakers in the Luka Doncic blockbuster.
Now a third trade in three seasons is not hard to picture.
There is still a route for Davis to stay in Washington. Aldridge and Robbins pointed to a lower-max compromise, similar to Kevin Durant’s extension with the Houston Rockets, as one possible middle ground.
Even so, everything hinges on what happens over the first half of the season. If Davis stays healthy and the Wizards’ young talent outperforms expectations, both sides could have reasons to keep talking.
If Washington struggles and Davis keeps pushing for near-max money while chasing championships, the whole thing could fall apart quickly. Right now, his future is one of the biggest stories on the Wizards’ horizon.
In Other News...
Wizards Preseason Is Exposing A Real AJ Dybantsa Concern
The early look at Washingtons preseason has put a spotlight on a familiar kind of rookie question: how quickly can a top pick become a focal point when the roster already has proven talent around him? AJ Dybantsa enters the season with plenty of upside, but the Wizards are also trying to balance touches, roles and shot quality while leaning on a group that includes established All-NBA-level players. For a team trying to climb out of the leagues lower tier, the fit matters almost as much as the talent.
The bigger concern is what that fit looks like when the ball is moving and the floor is packed. Washingtons shooting profile leaves some room for doubt, and the preseason has made clear that spacing is going to be a central issue if the offense is going to open up for Dybantsa and the rest of the core. The Wizards need their young talent to find cleaner driving lanes and easier decisions, and that puts a premium on which players can punish defenses from outside and keep the half-court from bogging down. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Davis Gives Wizards Hope As One Big Threat Lingers
Anthony Davis has already given the Wizards something they have badly needed around a roster in transition: a reason to believe the fit can work. His enthusiasm about joining Washington, along with his praise for the groups balance, offers a useful counterpoint to the skepticism that usually follows a franchise trying to reset around a veteran star.
The bigger question, though, is whether the story stays about basketball long enough for Washington to benefit from it. The Wizards have made clear they want to keep Davis, but the trade chatter is unlikely to disappear, especially with the deadline drawing closer and Davis still trying to put recent injury issues behind him. Until he gets on the floor and settles into his new team, the speculation will remain part of the package. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards Fans May Need Patience With AJ Dybantsa After This Rookie Warning
Preseason always has a way of humbling even the most celebrated rookies, and this years opening slate offered a reminder of how messy the first steps can be. Around the league, young players like Darryn Peterson and Keaton Wagler had uneven debuts, the kind of nights that can look alarming in a box score but are really part of the learning curve for anyone adjusting to NBA speed, size and defensive pressure.
For Washington, that context matters with AJ Dybantsa, because the Wizards are banking on more than just scoring to make his arrival meaningful. Even before his offense fully catches up, he has the tools to help right away with defense, paint pressure, ball-handling and leadership, which is why the early rookie growing pains elsewhere should serve more as a warning against impatience than a reason to doubt his fit. [Read more 🡒]