The Washington Wizards are reportedly holding off on extension talks (subscription required) with Anthony Davis until the season begins, which makes their refusal to have serious trade discussions look worse. The pressure is on to get AD locked in. He has a $62.7 million player option for the 2027-28 season and could become an unrestricted free agent next summer. The Warriors wanted to trade for Davis, but weren’t willing to meet Washington’s high price.
The Wizards bought low on AD. They gave up the 30th pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, a protected Warriors first-rounder in 2030, three second-round picks, and four players to acquire Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum. Washington flipped Hardy and a couple of second-rounders for Deandre Ayton to ensure they could play AD at his preferred position.
Davis still hasn’t played a game with the Wizards. He missed the remainder of last season and has appeared in more than 62 games just once since 2019. Injuries are a problem, but Washington should have sold AD when they had the chance if they didn’t want to extend him. Now, they’ve given the superstar more leverage and risk losing him for nothing.
Wizards should have traded Anthony Davis when they had the chance
This is not an easy decision. AD wants a massive payday. He still performs like a superstar when he’s on the court, and his agent Rich Paul is known for getting his clients paid. Massive extensions for big men in their 30s haven’t aged well in recent years. The Wizards want to contend and value Davis, but have to figure out a number that works for both sides.
Forcing AD to wait into the season increases his leverage. Davis is on a virtually expiring contract. If he is playing well, he can force Washington to give him a max contract or move on. The Wizards certainly don’t want to pay the future Hall of Famer $275 million over the next four years. Not in the second apron era where every dollar counts. Davis holds the cards now that Washington wants to wait.
AD played 20 games last season. The Wizards may have been able to convince him to take less for long-term security this summer. It is a risk, but they just locked in Trae Young on a massive number. Washington believes the two stars will get the Wizards back into contention.
It has been a head-scratching offseason for Michael Winger’s front office. Why not trade Davis when the Warriors came knocking if there were no plans to extend him? Why give Young a massive extension and not AD? Davis is a proven winner and gives the Wizards a much better chance to contend than Young.
The Wizards traded for Khris Middleton and Deandre Ayton, despite being loaded with young talent. This is bordering on a two-timeline approach that never works.
The Athletic’s Josh Robbins says the Wizards aren’t having extension talks with Anthony Davis until the season begins. They clearly want to see more, but they look foolish for not trading the ten-time All-Star when they had the chance. AD can be a free agent in the summer of 2027. The Wizards risk losing him for nothing, which will make the front office look even worse.
The Washington Wizards have a difficult decision to make with Anthony Davis. They appeared to be committing to him by trading for Ayton and refusing the Warriors’ offers. Washington isn’t ready to extend yet, but it could come if AD shines early in the season. That has to be the hope, or acquiring Davis could quickly turn ugly for the Wizards. All fans can do is stay tuned to see how it all plays out.
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