Tre Johnson didn’t treat Anthony Davis like a 10-time All-Star in practice, and Davis says that’s exactly the point.
During a media session at Wizards practice, Davis opened up about the kind of pushback he’s getting from Washington’s young players. One moment stood out in particular: after Davis said he missed a lot of shots, rookie Tre Johnson checked him right away with a line that didn’t leave much room for argument.
“I mean, that’s what you need. There’s not just one leader on the team, and I think that’s the beauty of our team.
You know, one day, I missed a lot of shots in practice, and Tre Johnson actually came to me, and he was like, ‘Hey, man. You wasn’t top 75 today.’
So, you look for that type of stuff where players just want to hold you accountable no matter whatever you’ve done in this league, where you are in this league.”
Davis added that the accountability works both ways.
“Just as I get on the young guys all the time about bad practices or bad shots or whatever, I’m going to continue to do the same thing, and they’re going to do the same thing. That’s when you have signs of a good team,” he concluded.
That exchange carries extra weight because Davis is part of the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team, a distinction that marks him as one of the 75 greatest players in league history. Johnson clearly isn’t interested in letting that title become decoration. He wants Davis living up to it every day.
That kind of bluntness can be a good thing in a locker room chasing bigger goals. Teammates holding each other to a higher standard usually means the group is serious about where it wants to go.
The bigger question for Washington is whether Davis can still be the engine that drives the team forward.
When he’s healthy, Davis remains one of the league’s most dangerous two-way big men. He can score from multiple spots, create for others, and anchor a defense at an elite level. He’s been that kind of force before, and now he’s in a Wizards frontcourt that includes Alex Sarr and Deandre Ayton, which gives him the chance to line up at his natural power forward spot.
On paper, that setup could bring out the best version of Davis and give Washington a real path toward playoff contention. The early returns, though, haven’t exactly popped.
In three preseason games, Davis averaged 13.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game. Those numbers are solid, but they don’t scream dominant.
Still, there’s time for that to change once the regular season starts. The Wizards need Davis to find his rhythm, and they need him to stay on the floor.
His health could shape not only Washington’s season, but also his next contract. For this team to have a real shot, Davis has to look the part of a top-75 player again.
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There is already some early stress in the picture, though, because one of the young pieces the Wizards hoped to see is out after rolling his ankle in the preseason finale. Khris Middleton is expected to play, which helps stabilize the group on paper, but Keefe still has to figure out exactly where he fits and how much of the roster shuffle should be driven by development versus immediate competitiveness, the kind of balancing act that can define a season before it really gets going. [Read more 🡒]
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Brown's appeal is obvious, but the roster conversation gets trickier when the fit is considered in the broader backcourt and frontcourt picture. Washington is better served by a player who can anchor the defense and work cleanly in the half court, which is why Davis would have made more sense for the Wizards than Brown, even if the latter brings more natural scoring. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards Have An Early Chance To Fix Two Problems Fast
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The early games will also say plenty about whether the frontcourt gains the Wizards showed in preseason can carry over once the results start counting. If the offense can get organized and the defense can hold up against a softer run of competition, Washington could avoid digging itself an early hole. If not, the same issues that made last season such a grind could show up again before the schedule gets any kinder. [Read more 🡒]