Anthony Davis made clear Monday that the Washington Wizards must present a credible path to contention this summer, setting up what figures to be one of the NBA offseason's most consequential front office conversations. Davis said he plans to meet with Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins in the coming months to evaluate the franchise's competitive timeline.
Davis stopped well short of requesting a trade, acknowledging his contractual obligations while leaving the door open depending on what those discussions produce.
"Whether we figure something out in the summer (that's) good or bad, whatever … if it doesn't get figured out, then come October, mid-October, late October, I will have a Washington Wizards uniform on, and I will go out there, and I will do everything I can to win a basketball game," Davis said. "In the summer, right now, I'm going to compete, train and have the mindset that I will be here next year. Not only because I'm under contract, but also, I like these young guys. I ain't going to lie. I feel like they're all my children."
Davis was direct about the difficulty of the Wizards' situation, expressing doubt that Washington can leap from the league's worst record in 2025-26 to a championship contender in one offseason, even with himself and Trae Young on the roster.
"I've been in this league a long time, and I've been with losing teams, been on losing teams," Davis said. "It's very hard to be a losing team and then a championship contender, right? I think one team has only done it: Boston in '08. Even when I was in New Orleans and we had two losing seasons, then we made the playoffs our third year — that, within itself, is a huge jump. What is our plan for winning going into next season? And how? Not like this is a plan, but how do we execute that? And based on that, we'll kind of see what happens."
Davis' contract adds another layer of complexity. He is owed $58.5 million in 2026-27 and holds a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28. Industry speculation suggests the 33-year-old may seek additional years on his current deal, though whether Washington would entertain that given his injury history and the organization's focus on its young core remains unclear.
Monday marked Davis' first formal availability with Washington-area media since his surprise trade from the Dallas Mavericks in early February. Despite a rocky initial perception of the franchise, Davis said his concerns faded quickly after arriving.
"I can personally say now it's not what people think or what people make it seem," Davis said. "Yes, the losing is part of it, so people kind of tie that with the organization. But the organization within itself is totally different from what people think they're seeing."
nikka you just got traded for Khris Middleton and you bout to be in your mid 30s. You have entered the "keep getting them checks" part of the program.
