The Washington Wizards’ interest in exploring an Anthony Davis deal says plenty about where this is headed, even if the Pistons don’t sound remotely interested in making it happen.
Marc J. Spears reported earlier this week for ESPN that Washington was open to a potential sign-and-trade with Detroit.
On Wednesday, Sam Amick and Hunter Patterson of The Athletic confirmed the Wizards’ interest, with Anthony Davis specifically in the conversation. League sources also backed up an ESPN report that Washington would have interest in a Duren-for-Anthony Davis trade, though that idea - along with the others - does not appear to be appealing to the Pistons.
That part matters, because the framework is pretty obvious. Davis is set to make $58.5 million this season, while Detroit most recently offered Duren $200 million.
If Washington is serious about bringing Duren in, Davis would have to be the centerpiece going out. It’s not a surprise that he’s the name attached to the talks.
The bigger question is whether Washington should be looking at Davis this way at all.
The Wizards have already chosen not to discuss an extension with him over the summer, when he became eligible on Aug. 6, and instead decided to wait until the season for those conversations. That alone makes a trade feel like a real possibility. Davis has been around long enough to know how this league works, and he’s also on record after last season’s trade saying he wanted to play for a contender.
At media day, Davis was positive about AJ Dybantsa and Washington’s veteran additions of Khris Middleton and Deandre Ayton. That was encouraging in the moment. But once the season actually starts, the mood can shift fast, and the situation can look different.
Washington’s willingness to even discuss moving him to Detroit for Duren could leave Davis feeling unwanted, even if the Wizards did choose to trade for him months ago and did not make him available over the summer. Still, from the team’s point of view, the logic is easy to see. Davis has injury concerns, is older, and will need a new contract that won’t come cheap.
The Wizards are doing their due diligence, and they have until Feb. 11, the trade deadline, to figure out what to do next. A player like Duren fits their timeline better, even if he may not be the right player.
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For the Wizards, that kind of number is exactly the sort of commitment a front office has to be careful about while the roster and cap sheet are still taking shape. Earlier reporting that floated a possible sign-and-trade framework involving Anthony Davis and Duren was later corrected, but the episode still serves as a reminder of how quickly one aggressive idea can turn into a costly detour if the details are wrong or the fit is forced. [Read more 🡒]
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The more interesting part is what comes next, because Davis is not rushing into any long-term conversation. He has indicated he wants to wait until after the season before discussing a contract extension, which leaves the Wizards with both optimism and a little uncertainty hanging over the deal. Even so, the early read is that he is bought into the present, and for a team trying to reset its identity, that alone is a meaningful first step. [Read more 🡒]