If everything goes according to plan, then All-NBA teammates Anthony Davis and Trae Young are about to lead the Washington Wizards back to the playoffs. It's a risky investment, however, as Davis has missed at least 30 games in four of the past six seasons.
The bigger potential issue that the Wizards need to be wary of, however, is that Davis' arrival and potential contract extension could compromise the development of big man Alex Sarr.
Perhaps it's irrational to worry about an up-and-comer when the Wizards have failed to win at least 20 games in any of the past three seasons. Sarr has quietly developed into one of the more promising young big men in the NBA, however, and is still just 21 years of age—with two years left on his rookie-scale deal.
This past season, Sarr increased his production in virtually every area despite only playing 0.1 more minutes per game than he did as a rookie—and he did so while becoming significantly more efficient.
In 2024-25, Sarr averaged 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 blocks, and 0.7 steals in 27.1 minutes per game on .394/.308/.679 shooting. In 2025-26, he posted 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 blocks, and 0.8 steals in 27.2 minutes per game on .482/.333/.692 shooting.
The question is: Will the Wizards successfully balance featuring the proven stars with developing the key players who will support them and may even need to succeed them sooner than later?
Will Anthony Davis' arrival compromise Alex Sarr's development?
Davis is a world-class player who can dominate both ends of the floor in a way that Washington can only hope Sarr will one day be able to. He's a surefire Hall of Famer who has won an NBA championship and secured five All-NBA selections, along with 10 All-Star Game nods.
Davis will turn 34 before the end of the 2026-27 season, however, which suggests that he's already exiting the athletic prime of his career.
Perhaps he'll be able to extend his glory into his mid or even late-30s, as a growing list of superstars have been able to do in this era. Given his injury history and age, however, Washington can't simply view this as gambling on his ability to remain healthy.
If the Wizards divert their resources to supporting Davis and Young, but fail to simultaneously prioritize internal development, then a promising talent in Sarr could be wasted.
Sarr is still an unpolished talent, but he's also a 7'0" big who competes on both ends of the floor. In 2025-26, he even ranked in the 97th percentile in rim protection, per Basketball Index. Turning him into a mere complementary piece when he could actually develop into an ideal co-star for AJ Dybantsa would be premature and irresponsible.
Instead, the Wizards must ensure that Sarr's development remains a top priority as he not only complements Davis, but learns from the future Hall of Famer about how he can create his own success.
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