The Washington Wizards are on the clock with Anthony Davis, and the deadline is not far off. By Feb. 11, they need to either lock him into a new deal or move him, because letting a ten-time All-Star drift toward free agency without a return would be a costly mistake.
That urgency is why the postponed extension talks matter so much. Washington wants to see Davis in its uniform and still believes in the fit, but the front office cannot let this drag past the trade deadline without a clear answer.
Davis is set to make $58.4 million this season, and he also has a $62.7 million player option for 2027-28. He can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027.
The contract question is complicated by age and availability. Davis is 33, and since 2019 he has played 65 or more games only once.
That history makes a long-term commitment a tough sell, especially if the price tag climbs into elite territory. He is eligible for a four-year, $275 million extension that would run through 2031, but Washington cannot afford to be on the hook for $65-plus million when that deal reaches its end.
This may be Davis’ last real shot at a huge contract, and he will be looking for maximum years and maximum money. That’s part of why Dallas moved on so quickly after the disastrous Luka Doncic trade.
But a deal at that level would come with real risk, and the second apron era has only made things trickier. Teams are far less willing to push past that line, which makes a true max extension harder to land.
Davis should still get paid handsomely, especially with Rich Paul representing him, but the Wizards may not want to meet the top of the market.
There’s another layer here: Washington’s roster is getting expensive fast. The Wizards are no longer operating like a rebuilding team.
They traded for Trae Young and gave him a $212 million extension, and they want to get back into contention. That means the books are going to tighten, especially with other young players coming due.
Bilal Coulibaly is extension-eligible now and would be a restricted free agent in 2027 if no deal is reached. Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Bub Carrington will be restricted in 2028.
Tre Johnson and Will Riley are up in 2029.
The math gets messy in a hurry if Davis is taking up $50-plus million per year. The Wizards cannot keep everybody, so they need to decide who counts as a long-term piece and who becomes expendable. The smart play may be to follow the Oklahoma City Thunder’s lead and turn the players they don’t plan to keep into more assets.
If Washington does move Davis, it should not have trouble finding a market. Centers are expensive, and recent deals around the league show just how pricey the position has become.
The Lakers just gave up two first-round draft picks and two swaps to get Walker Kessler. Mitchell Robinson landed $47.3 million in free agency.
Even Jock Landale got a one-year, $14.1 million contract. Against that backdrop, Davis should bring back value if the Wizards decide to deal him.
That’s why the deadline matters so much. Washington gave up two first-round picks and three seconds to get Davis, and while none of those firsts were premium assets, the price still looks heavy if he ends up being a one-season rental.
The Wizards did buy low, but that only works if they squeeze value out of the move. If they cannot agree to an extension, they need to trade him to the highest bidder before Feb.
Davis also has leverage of his own. He is effectively in the final year of his contract, and he can make it clear to any team he doesn’t want to join that he won’t extend. That gives him some control over where this goes next, and it only adds pressure on Washington to settle the situation sooner rather than later.
The bottom line is simple: the Wizards have less than five months to decide whether Anthony Davis is part of their future or a trade chip. If he stays healthy and becomes a core piece, the move makes sense.
If not, Washington has to cash out before the deadline. Feb. 11 will tell the story one way or another.
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Wizards May Have Found An Answer To A Real Guard Problem
The Wizards added another name to their guard mix by bringing in Trevor Keels, a move that gives the organization a closer look at a player who has spent the past season making a case for himself. A 2022 second-round pick, Keels spent last year in the G League and put up 20.2 points per game, then carried that momentum into Summer League with a string of strong showings that turned heads inside and outside the building.
For a Washington team still searching for more depth and stability in the backcourt, Keels at least offers a different kind of candidate than a typical camp body. He now gets the chance to prove the recent progress is real in a setting where every rep matters, and the Wizards will find out quickly whether he can turn that promise into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]