Wizards’ Plan for Anthony Davis Revealed: Hold Him Through Next Season and Rebuild Trade Value Before the Deadline
Anthony Davis is staying in Washington for now, but only because the Wizards need him to be worth something on the trade market again first.
Sean Deveney of Heavy.com reported on Tuesday that Washington plans to hold onto the 10-time All-Star into next season. The thinking is straightforward. Davis needs to play, prove he is healthy, and rebuild his trade value before the 2027 deadline. Until then, he sits on the roster as a $58.5 million placeholder with an even bigger $62.8 million player option waiting for him in 2027-28.
This is the dictionary definition of asset management. It is also not exactly what Davis wants to hear.
Davis, 33, landed in Washington in February as part of the seven-player package the Mavericks built around Luka Doncic going to the Lakers. He did not play a single game for the Wizards in the 2025-26 season. He spent the entire stretch dealing with the injury issues that have followed him since his Lakers championship.
The fit was always strange. Davis is 33 with a championship resume and a body that has not finished a healthy season in years. Trae Young is 27 and still trying to win his first playoff series. Kyshawn George is 22. Alex Sarr is 21. Bilal Coulibaly is 21. Bub Carrington is 20. The Wizards also have the No. 1 overall pick in this draft, which will probably be either AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson.
Davis is six years older than the second-oldest core piece on this team. Holding him for asset management instead of cashing him in immediately tells you everything about where his market is.
The numbers are brutal. Davis has played 71 total games combined over the last two seasons. He has not been a 65-game guy since before COVID. The $58.5 million figure looks like a problem to acquire on a contender, especially one looking for a center who is supposed to play 70-plus games and survive a deep playoff run.
This is where the Wizards’ patience makes sense. If Davis plays 60 games in 2026-27 and looks anything like his Lakers Finals form, his next trade asks are completely different. A contender will move two starters and a first round pick for a healthy Davis. A contender will not move much for an injured Davis off a zero-game season.
The risk is obvious. Davis could miss another 50 games and the Wizards end up with the same $58 million headache and zero trade value. He could also walk into his player option and get even more expensive.
Davis hinted at his frustration with the rebuild last month with some blunt public comments. He wants to win. He wants to be in a winning environment. The Wizards are not that.
The collision here is real. Davis has the leverage of a player who can decline an opt-out and force ugly conversations. Washington has the leverage of a team that controls his contract through 2028 and can make him play out the string. Neither side is in a particular rush.
The 2027 deadline is the real target. Either Davis is healthy and dealt for an asset package, or this becomes the league’s longest standoff between a star player and a rebuilding team. Either way, Wizards general manager Will Dawkins gets to play out the timeline before he commits to anything.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
