The Washington Wizards may have already solved one Anthony Davis problem, but the bigger one is just getting started.
When the Wizards landed Davis at the trade deadline, the first question was simple: would he even want to stay in D.C.? Since then, Washington has kept building around him. The additions of AJ Dybantsa, Deandre Ayton, and Khris Middleton have helped quiet the chatter, and the roster now has Davis paired with All-Star running mate Trae Young on a team trying to look the part of a playoff hopeful.
The other piece pushing this along is Davis’ contract situation. Before arriving in Washington, he made it clear that wherever he landed, a new deal would be a priority. If a team wasn’t ready to pay what he believed he was worth, he wasn’t interested in wasting time.
That’s why the Wizards appear intent on working out an extension. It would give them a shot at shutting down the trade buzz and showing Davis they can offer something other teams can’t. But the latest talk around the negotiations suggests Washington may not be eager to go all the way to the max.
In a recent offseason update, ClutchPoints NBA Insider Brett Siegel said the Wizards may not be willing to hand Davis the max extension he wants.
ClutchPoints’ @BrettSiegelNBA on Anthony Davis and the Wizards:
“The Wizards are not interested in trading him whatsoever. They want to agree to some type of long term deal with AD… Anthony Davis wants a max extension but it’s not gonna happen… Maybe a 2-3 year extension is on… pic.twitter.com/3WlPsdmX5w
- ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 23, 2026
Siegel wasn’t saying Washington has no interest in keeping Davis. Quite the opposite. The point was that no team, Wizards included, should be eager to hand out max money to a player with Davis’ injury history.
Even so, the Wizards may still be prepared to spend. After what many would view as an overpay to keep Trae Young, it wouldn’t be surprising if Washington decided it had to do whatever it takes to keep elite talent in place. That could mean getting close to the four-year, $275 million extension Davis is eligible for.
But there’s another path here, and it may be the one Washington prefers. A shorter 2-3 year extension, as Siegel suggested, would keep Davis in the fold without boxing the franchise in when Alex Sarr, AJ Dybantsa, and Kyshawn George become extension eligible themselves.
The risk is obvious. If Davis sees anything short of his ask as a slight, he could push his way out or simply wait until next offseason, decline his $62.7 million player option, and walk away for nothing.
So the Wizards are walking a tightrope. If they can land Davis on a deal below the max, it would be a major win for Will Dawkins. But if they misread the market or the player, this whole thing could turn fast.
In Other News...
Michael Winger Just Put The Wizards On A Contending Clock
The Wizards have spent the offseason acting like a team that no longer wants to wait around for a slow rebuild. After trading for Khris Middleton and Deandre Ayton, Washington also locked in Trae Young on a long-term extension, a clear sign that Michael Winger is trying to assemble a roster with real playoff ambitions instead of just collecting assets and hoping for the best.
Now comes the harder part. With the cap sheet tightening and the luxury-tax pressure already hanging over the roster, every move from here has to fit a contending timeline. Young is still working back from an injury-affected season and has not been back on a playoff stage since 2023, so the Wizards are not only betting on talent, they are betting that this group can get healthy, gel quickly and justify the aggressive push before the financial squeeze gets even tighter. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Roy Is Back Where Washington Basketball Remembers Him Most
Brandon Roy is back on the sideline at Garfield High School, returning as the boys basketball coach in a move that brings one of Seattle hoops most familiar names back to the program he has guided before. It is his fourth stint with the team, another turn in a coaching relationship that has long been intertwined with Washington basketball history and the expectations that come with it.
Seattle Public Schools said Roy was chosen through a comprehensive interview process that included school leadership, athletics staff, a student-athlete and a parent representative. For Garfield, the hire restores a coach with a deep local footprint and a track record that still resonates around the region, even as the latest chapter in his career begins with plenty of attention already attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards May Have Already Missed Their Best Anthony Davis Trade Window
Washington has already taken a hard line on Anthony Davis, turning away trade interest and setting a steep price for any team hoping to pry him loose. Golden State was among the clubs circling, but the Wizards have made it clear they see Davis as a long-term piece, not a short-term asset to flip, especially with the organization still weighing how he fits alongside Trae Young.
The timing matters because Davis is extension-eligible on Aug. 6 and is expected to seek a max deal, which only raises the stakes on Washingtons decision. The front office is betting on his health and production, but the bigger question is whether the market for him may have already peaked, with one of the leagues most intriguing trade windows now looking a lot narrower than it did just weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]