Another day, another dominant performance from Anthony Davis. In the Washington Wizards' 103-94 win over the Orlando Magic, Davis again looked like the superstar the Wizards hoped for when they traded for him at last season's deadline. Amidst all of the questions about his health and whether he was declining, he's shown up in a big way all season long.
He put up 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 steals, once again showing his two-way stardom and getting the Wizards back to being above .500. It's only been seven games, but given the small price the Wizards paid to get Davis, it's looking like an absolute steal.
The Wizards and Davis both decided they want to see how the season plays out before committing to each other long-term. If his elite play continues, it should be a no-brainer for the Wizards to give Davis a well-deserved extension.
Anthony Davis has played at an All-NBA level this season
The NBA landscape seems to have forgotten the caliber of player Davis is, and it's understandable. Not being healthy does that to players. Similar discourse has surrounded players like Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, and Zion Williamson, other stars who have struggled to stay on the court for consistent periods.
However, every time Davis is on the court and healthy, he's a borderline top-15 guy in the NBA. He's still one of the best defenders in the world, and he's proving this season that he can still take over games on offense as well. This season, Davis is averaging 23 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.6 steals.
What's both extremely notable and promising is that not only is Davis scoring the ball well, but he's having the best 3-point shooting season of his career (yes, it's only been seven games, but it's promising). He's shooting a career-high 36.8 percent from distance, on the second-most attempts per game in his career, only trailing his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Wizards and Davis should agree to an extension
This offseason, Davis has an extremely large player option valued at just over $62 million. He could accept that, but he would risk potentially getting hurt the following season and costing a lot of long-term money. It would be best for both parties if Davis and the Wizards are able to mutually agree for him to decline his player option and re-sign for a deal slightly less than the max.
This would then give Davis one last long-term payday with a team that believes in him as he plays out the end of his prime years in Washington, D.C. The Wizards are the team that can afford to take the small risk of giving him long-term money, too. Davis is the most accomplished and talented player to wear the jersey since prime John Wall, and they've seen firsthand this season that he's still a superstar.
Despite the Wizards becoming a much better team now than in past seasons, it's likely that they're never going to compete as a free agent destination with bigger market teams. They have a bona fide superstar in the building who seems happy there; it would be in their best interest to keep him around.
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