Wizards big man Anthony Davis, who was traded from Dallas to Washington ahead of Thursday’s deadline, is expected to sit out the rest of the 2025/26 season to fully recover from groin and hand injuries, league sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
Davis had been on the trade block in Dallas for much of the season, but there was some doubt about whether a deal would materialize after he suffered ligament damage to his left hand, an injury which was expected to sideline him for least most of February, if not beyond that. Rumored suitors like Atlanta and Toronto appeared to back off to some extent, opening the door for a surprise team like the Wizards to make a deal.
Davis, who has a lengthy injury history, has been plagued by multiple ailments (adductor, eye, calf, groin, hand) since was traded to Dallas last February. In 20 games this season, he averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks in 31.3 minutes per contest.
The former No. 1 overall pick is on a maximum-salary contract that runs through 2027/28, with a $62.8MM player option for that final season.
The Wizards are incentivized to lose as many games as possible down the stretch to retain their 2026 first-round pick, which is top-eight protected, and improve their odds of landing one of the draft’s prized prospects. Trae Young (knee, quad) has yet to play for the Wizards after they traded for the star point guard last month.
GM Will Dawkins said in an interview at the end of January that Young was out through the All-Star break, but stressed the team wasn’t shutting him down for the season. That doesn’t appear to apply to Davis, however.
In an exclusive phone interview with David Aldridge of The Athletic, Davis said he had a “great” visit with the Wizards’ ownership and front office on Friday, but the 32-year-old forward/center readily admitted he had questions about how the rebuilding team planned to become a contender.
“At this point in my career, I want to compete for a championship,” Davis said. “Whether that’s here or elsewhere, I have no idea. It’s been phenomenal, everything they’re saying. Everything they’re showing me is nothing short of phenomenal. Now it’s about having an actual conversation about the team.”
While Davis told Aldridge he loved Washington D.C. and was open-minded about the team’s vision for the future, he made it clear his priority is to win as many games as possible going forward.
“It’s hard to say (I would definitely stay in D.C.) without the proper plan,” Davis said. “Obviously, it’s tough right now with the team, right now. It shows with their record, but adding certain pieces, that can change. It’s year by year. They could be the No. 1 team in the East next year.”
bahahahhahahahhaa…… *deep breath* …… hahahhahahahhaa…. hahahhahahahhaa ….hahahhahahahhaa *deep breath* hahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaahahahhahahahhaa
Street. Clothes.
56
62
36
40
56
76
51
20
lmao dude is the most “part time” player ever.
Hilarious that you don’t understand that the Wizards are the one’s deciding this. The plan is for Trae + AD + draft pick. AD and/or Trae playing hurts that plan.
The real criticism is that the Wizards are taking a chance on eliminating any value AD has left by letting him sit. If he finds his way to the injury report in the 1st couple weeks of next year after sitting for 8 months, then he’ll net nothing and they let him expire for no return (or worse).
Still, when you’re a franchise that hasn’t seen a .500 record for nearly a decade, you have to do what you have to do to show signs of life. In a perfect world, both Trae and AD increase their value around whoever they pick up in the draft and the young group the Wiz have acquired. Then get off of AD and most likely in Trae to build an actual young contending core. Maybe Trae can allow enough growth of the young guys that his lack of defense is able to be overlooked (wouldn’t count on it) but regardless, this isn’t what the Wizards want to look like in their competitive window. This is the precursor.
Hope it works out for them.
I don’t think they care about his value if they’re not looking to trade him. They’re looking at next year and their own pick. They fall out of the eight I believe the Knicks get it.
The best side in an AD deal is always the side that no longer has to worry about paying him to never play.
Imagine trading Luka for him for no reason at all lmao
Impressed you can see the keyboard through all the egg on your face
Nico Harrison is evil
Y’all are laughing as though Anthony Davis actually needs to miss the rest of this year due to injury. Think Brandon Ingram, last season.
You really think that the Wizards are going to play him, and his stellar defense, and get in the way of this upcoming draft?
Groin and hand injury, lols. I always though he was w*nk*r.
Good chance he won’t play for Wiz and just gets moved again.
last time there was such an abysmal trade .. the league stepped in and actually made the stepien rule to protect owners from them dumb selves
Safe to assume that AD just got a non-contact injury while he was touring the Wizards practice facilities.
Wonder what Nico Harrison is doing now?