The possibility that Anthony Davis could be moved ahead of the NBA trade deadline was made clear weeks prior.
Still, nobody believed that the Dallas Mavericks' would actually pull the trigger on a blockbuster trade to move on from the future Hall of Famer unless they were set to return an absolute haul for the big man.
I mean, they did trade Luka Doncic to assemble the franchise star with the hopes of getting to the NBA Finals..right?
As the deadline approached, the murmurs around a potential deal for Davis seemed to quiet down, which made many believe that the liklihood of Davis finding himself a fresh start would be paused until the offseason if any deal was going to happen at all.
However, the Washington Wizards worked in silence and avoided the noise that a blockbuster trade to acquire Davis would offer; that is until the deal was done.
Sending the Mavericks' a package built around Khris Middleton's expiring contract and future draft compensation.
Washington capitalized on the assets that general manager Will Dawkins' and President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger had assembled over the years and paired arguably the most ideal frontcourt partner alongside emerging star Alex Sarr.
Despite the move, many were curious if Davis would even be open to playing for a team like the Wizards considering their current positioning in the NBA standings and the obvious fact that a chance to contend was much slimmer than the chance to earn a top pick in the NBA Draft Lottery.
Fortunately, the Wizards' newest addition silenced all the noise with his most recent comment about the team's future and his optimism about where the team could be heading.
Anthony Davis offers reassurance about Wizards future
Shortly after joining the team, Davis took no time to go on record and say exactly what the team and fanbase hoped to hear from their new star:
"It’s totally different from what they make it seem," Davis said. "I know it’s like, they have the stigma of they’re not a good team...I want to see the plan, see the vision...It’s been great"
Sure, Washington may not be in position to contend this season, but with the young core continuing to develop, mixed with the new superstar duo of Trae Young and AD, all signs are pointing up for the Wizards and their future.
Washington could be one of the biggest sleepers heading into next season and it seems that Davis believes in the vision.