The Washington Wizards defeated the Chicago Bulls 124-120 on Saturday night, and Anthony Davis showed his new franchise why they were foolish to hold off extension talks. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported that Davis wanted a new contract and was willing to take less than the max, but the Wizards “tabled discussions”. AD has been the best player on the team and has Washington at 2-1 for the first time since 2022. The Wizards want to contend and need Davis to do that.
The ten-time All-Star had a dominant 34-point double-double in the season-opening win. He was the best player on the floor and looked unstoppable. Davis had just nine points on three-of-12 shooting from the field in the loss to the Raptors. Toronto’s elite defense held him in check, but AD and the Wizards bounced back in Chicago on Saturday night.
Davis finished with 19 points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block in 31 minutes of action. He hit two clutch free throws to seal the win and made everyone forget some first-half foul trouble. AD has been the Wizards' best player, and the front office needs to rethink their stance on extending the big man.
Anthony Davis makes the Wizards a playoff contender
Chicago led by five at halftime before Washington had a dominant third quarter. The Wizards outscored the Bulls 40-20 over the 12 minutes to take a commanding lead. Davis was on the floor for eight minutes, and his plus-minus went from minus-9 to plus-9 in the third quarter alone. Washington struggled in the fourth, but the Wizards held on to get the win.
AD is still an elite defender and scorer when healthy. He is the Wizards’ best player since John Wall. That is no knock on Bradley Beal, but a healthy AD is an All-NBA player and two-way force. Beal was an elite scorer, but never a lockdown defender.
The Wizards are 2-1 for the first time in four years without number one overall draft pick AJ Dybantsa. The other young players are impacting winning. Davis and Trae Young deserve a ton of credit for that. The veteran stars are leading by example and helping these young players improve. Washington only gets better when Dybantsa returns.
It was an impressive road win against the Bulls to put Washington back over .500. When Davis is healthy and going, the Wizards are a completely different team. Fans have already seen that in the first three games, but there are still questions.
Anthony Davis still has questions to answer
The biggest knocks on AD are his injury history and desire to play the four. The Wizards are starting him next to Alex Sarr and playing him with Deandre Ayton for spurts. They don’t seem to mind using Davis as the power forward. If they continue to win, this issue won’t be discussed, but AD needs to stay healthy.
He has averaged just 46.5 games per season over the last six years. Davis has played more than 56 contests in a season just twice since 2018. It is a lengthy injury history for the 33-year-old. Can he play 60 games every year in his mid-30s?
The Wizards gave Trae Young a massive extension. They aren’t afraid to spend, but AD has to be on the floor to make a new deal worth it.
The Wizards have won every game where Davis has scored at least 10 points. They are going as far as the superstar goes, which underscores how much Washington needs the future Hall of Famer.
Wizards should extend Anthony Davis if he is willing to take less
Davis is in the final guaranteed season of his contract. He is making $58.4 million this year and has a $62.7 million player option for the 2027-28 campaign. The 6’10 big man is eligible for a four-year, $275 million extension. He is willing to take less, but Davis is still going to get a massive contract.
AD is better than Trae Young. The Wizards just gave their point guard a $212.7 million extension. Davis and his agent Rich Paul likely want more money than that. The big man is Washington’s best player, so it is hard to argue.
The Wizards want to contend and need Davis to do that. That is why they should extend him long-term. AD plays like a star. Washington has to keep him healthy, but they know he will produce when he is on the floor.
The Washington Wizards are back. The home arena was rocking on opening night and showering AD with MVP chants. They just went on the road and won on the second night of a back-to-back. This looks like a playoff contender thanks to Anthony Davis. Washington needs to open the extension dialogue now. He’s been the team’s best player, and they need him.
Extending Anthony Davis is risky, but the Wizards struggle to attract this type of talent. If AD is happy in the nation’s capital, the franchise should pay that man his money.
Add us as a preferred source on Google