Las Vegas Summer League was supposed to be about AJ Dyabntsa, and for Washington, it still is. The reigning No. 1 overall pick headlined the Wizards’ first marquee showcase in Vegas, but the clearest signal about the team’s direction came before the game even started.
A handful of veterans showed up to back the young group, including Trae Young, Deandre Ayton, and Kyshawn George. The most eye-catching presence, though, was Anthony Davis.
Davis’ future in Washington has been clouded by uncertainty since he arrived. Extension talks are coming, but trade buzz has kept the conversation from settling down, and fans have had reason to wonder whether he’s truly in this for the long haul.
His appearance at Summer League did plenty to quiet that noise.
Davis had already said earlier in the offseason that he liked what Washington was building, even while making it clear that playing for a contender mattered to him. That stance made sense given his age, injury history, and the kind of career he still wants to have. At the same time, general manager Will Dawkins has said Davis has told the team he wants to be in D.C., and the signs are pointing toward an extension.
Sitting with his new teammates on the sideline in Vegas only strengthens that picture. Players don’t usually show up to support a team they have no interest in joining, especially when their name is floating through trade rumors.
Right now, Davis looks comfortable with the Wizards, and with Trae Young already committed and Washington adding Dyabntsa to the young core, there’s a lot for him to buy into. The trip to Summer League suggests he has bought in, too, and that he could be in Washington for the regular season and beyond.
Given what the Wizards gave up to get him, that possibility matters even more.
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