Anthony Davis' future with the Washington Wizards was up in the air entering the offseason, and with the reports that vultures may be circling for the opportunity to trade for him, uncertainty was only added.
General manager Will Dawkins made it clear that moving on from his big trade deadline swing was the last thing on his to-do list, but if Davis opted to play hardball and force his way out, his tenure with the Wizards could have ended ugly before it ever started.
Washington is trending upwards in terms of the talent on their roster with the long-term commitment from All-Star guard Trae Young and the selection of No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa to bolster the team's young core, but even with those moves, it felt like the only real thing tying Davis to the DMV was the possibility that the Wizards could offer him the max extension the big man is seeking.
Beyond that, though, the Wizards' recent acquisition of Deandre Ayton may have given Davis the perfect reason to stand pat in Washington, where he could not only ink a long-term extension but also take advantage of the wish he's been asking for dating back to his days with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Anthony Davis can finally play solely at the 4
Davis' biggest gripe during his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers always centered around Rob Pelinka's inability to find a viable big man that could allow AD to play power forward, the position he feels allows him to be the dominant player he's proven to be.
The Lakers tried their hands continuously to give AD the opportunity he was looking for, but it's safe to say that JaVale McGee, Dwight Howard, and Jaxson Hayes weren't exactly the players he had in mind.
Ironically, Pelinka eventually answered Davis' wish, just a little too late, by offloading former top pick Deandre Ayton to the Wizards in an offseason deal that could quietly be a major win for Washington.
Ayton fills the massive void in the frontcourt behind Davis and Alex Sarr, giving the Wizards a reliable backup the team can rely on.
Outside of that, though, it offers Davis the opportunity to solely play at the 4 whenever he's on the court.
Whether the big man slots next to Sarr or Davis, he'll have the ability to free-roam and stretch the floor alongside Young and Dybantsa, which alone could allow him to prove he's still the All-NBA caliber player the Wizards made their bet on.
Considering AD hasn't exactly had that freedom since his days with the Pelicans, alongside prime DeMarcus Cousins, it's safe to assume that Davis is thrilled about the team's sudden acquisition.
And while there were quietly several reasons why Davis seemed to be open to seeing things through in D.C., Ayton may have been the final move to seal his commitment.
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