The Warriors’ dream of building a two-star bridge to LeBron James is running straight into a wall of conflicting signals around Anthony Davis.
Golden State has been working hard to get to the front of James’ free-agency line, and the most ambitious version of that plan is clear: sign James, then swing a blockbuster trade for Davis, who is currently with the Washington Wizards. Draymond Green helped open the door by declining his over $27 million player option, giving the Warriors the financial room to chase both stars and potentially assemble a loaded “Big Four” with Green and Stephen Curry. Around the league, the thinking is simple - if the Warriors can land Davis, that might be the move that convinces James to commit to the Bay.
But the Wizards are not exactly speaking with one voice.
General Manager Will Dawkins and the front office have shut down trade calls for Davis, and the team is reportedly planning to pair him with Deandre Ayton in a massive, experimental “Twin Towers” setup designed to make them an immediate Eastern Conference threat. At the same time, The Athletic’s Fred Katz pointed out that Washington’s stance may not be as clean as it sounds. He wrote, “The Wizards have expressed no interest in trading him, league sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the deliberations told The Athletic, but they also acquired him for a minimum package less than a year ago.”
That’s where the real wrinkle lives. If James tells Golden State he’ll only sign there if the Warriors get AD, Washington would suddenly be holding the leverage. And if the Warriors put together a huge enough package, the Wizards would have a hard time ignoring it.
So while the public message is “no way,” the setup behind the scenes leaves the door cracked open enough to make this whole thing even messier.
Meanwhile, Charania reported Tuesday that James is now mostly focused on Cleveland, Miami, and Philly. Golden State and Minnesota are still technically hanging on, but they’re not where his attention seems to be right now.
A decision could come any day or any week. For now, the Warriors and Wizards are left waiting, and the answer may not be the one Golden State is hoping for.
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The bigger backdrop for Washington was the shape of the game itself, with Miami operating short-handed and Adebayo describing a roster missing three of its five starters. He also pointed to the way the night started before it snowballed, a reminder that some historic scoring explosions are as much about circumstance and rhythm as they are about brilliance, and this one still trails only Wilt Chamberlains 100-point outburst. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards Fans Suddenly Have A Bigger Question Than Trae Or AD
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For a franchise trying to define its next identity, that kind of early confidence carries real weight. Smiths view was not just about upside, but about whether Washington should be prepared to put the ball in Dybantsas hands as a central piece of the offense from the start, a question that naturally changes the way fans look at the rest of the roster and the teams pecking order moving forward. [Read more 🡒]