The Golden State Warriors may want to shake up their roster this offseason, but so far the action hasn’t matched the urgency. They’re still sitting among the league’s quietest teams, and the longer that stretches on, the harder it is to see a clean path to a major move.
That matters because the Warriors have been linked to Anthony Davis, but that idea is starting to look shaky. A trade for Davis is becoming less likely by the day, and there’s also no guarantee LeBron James ends up in Golden State either.
One report points to a surprising obstacle: the Washington Wizards may not be eager to part with Davis because they’re under pressure to finally get results. Sean Deveney wrote, “Speaking of Davis, one NBA executive has a pretty good reason for why he’s staying put in Washington-the Wizards are under a strict mandate to get things turned around after just 50 wins in their last three seasons. Both coach Brian Keefe and president Michael Winger have their jobs on the line this year,”
On paper, the Wizards would have a real case to believe Davis can help lift them. With Davis, Trae Young, AJ Dybantsa, and other intriguing young pieces, they wouldn’t look like the kind of team that has to tear everything down.
That’s part of the problem for Golden State. Davis fits the timeline of a veteran team like the Warriors, but if Washington is serious about trying to win now, it’s hard to see him being moved.
In Other News...
Bilal Coulibaly Just Reached A Defining Moment In Washington
Bilal Coulibaly has arrived at a tricky stage in Washington, one that says as much about the Wizards new direction as it does about his own development. Under general manager Will Dawkins, the roster has changed fast, with Trae Young, Anthony Davis and AJ Dybantsa joining a group that suddenly looks far deeper and far more competitive than it did a year ago. For a young wing like Coulibaly, that kind of upgrade can be both a boost and a warning sign, because every minute in Brian Keefes rotation is going to have to be earned.
Coulibaly is entering year four at 21, and the question now is whether he can show enough growth to keep himself firmly in the picture as the Wizards sort through a crowded depth chart. Washington has plenty of young talent to sort through, and the logjam only makes the evaluation more important for a front office trying to balance development with winning. The next stretch should tell the Wizards a lot about where Coulibaly fits, and whether his place in the long-term plan is becoming clearer or more complicated. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Get One More Tough Read On Keaton Wagler Vs Wizards
The Wizards and Clippers are set to meet in NBA Summer League after both teams came away from recent losses, with the game carrying a little extra weight for two clubs still sorting out what they have. Washingtons lineup has already been altered by the summer shutdown of top pick AJ Dybantsa, while Los Angeles keeps getting a closer look at fifth overall pick Keaton Wagler as he works through the early part of his pro introduction.
Wagler has shown real improvement across his first three games, which makes this matchup another useful test for the Clippers against a Washington group that will be playing on tired legs after a Tuesday game. Summer League can be messy by nature, but for Los Angeles this is still a chance to gauge whether Waglers early bounce is the start of something more stable. [Read more 🡒]