The Washington Wizards must pay Anthony Davis to keep him, but the franchise needs him to accept a discount like Victor Wembanyama did to build a serious title contender. Wemby gave back five percent of the salary cap to let the Spurs build out their roster. Every dollar counts in the second apron era, and the Wizards’ roster is about to get a lot more expensive. They need to get AD on a discount.
Washington clearly wants to keep Davis. They traded for him and set an incredibly high asking price for teams looking to acquire him this summer. The Wizards want to get back into contention. They paid Trae Young and hope to keep AD for years to come.
Davis is still a star. He averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks in 31.3 minutes per game last season. The injuries are a problem, but AD is a max player when healthy. He must choose how much he values winning. Davis is eligible for a monster extension, and the Wizards need the superstar to save room to keep their young core.
Wizards need Anthony Davis to accept a discount like Victor Wembanyama
Davis can land a four-year, $275 million extension starting on Aug. 6. Washington is projected to be just $38 million below the first apron in 2027-28 with 11 players under contract. Bilal Coulibaly and Cam Whitmore are set to be restricted free agents if new extensions aren’t done. The Wizards will still have room to maneuver there, but the next summer things get more complicated.
Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George are all restricted free agents in the summer of 2028. If AD is making $60-plus million, Washington will struggle to extend all three without going over the dreaded second apron.
The Wizards are already finding out what makes Davis special. He is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. Not many guys can score 20 points, be one of the league’s best rebounders, and shine as an elite rim protector. Washington bought low and wants to keep him.
The Wizards overpaid Trae Young, but they didn’t hand out a full max contract. They need to get AD to accept less to lock long-term. That is their shot to build a sustainable contender over the next four years.
Victor Wembanyama just took less to help the Spurs. Jalen Brunson did the same to keep the Knicks roster together. Davis has to choose between maximizing his title odds and his dollars. The Wizards should pitch him on taking a five percent discount to build a serious threat. Wemby just did it in San Antonio.
The Washington Wizards need Anthony Davis to accept a discount if they want to keep their young core together. Contention windows are shorter in the second apron era, and the roster gets expensive quickly. Every dollar counts, so even shaving off a couple percent of the max is important. The Wizards should push AD to accept less, but the player holds the cards. Fans will find out more after Aug. 6, so stay tuned.
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