The Washington Wizards are in a unique position this summer. On one hand, winning the draft lottery has given them the chance to start over with a fresh young prospect , but they still have two win-now veterans in Trae Young and Anthony Davis, who have no desire to participate in player development.
For star power forward Anthony Davis, in particular, his Wizadrds tenure appears to on the clock, but that doesn’t mean a trade is imminent. In fact, according to one report from Insider Sean Deveney, the Wizards could hold onto Davis for months during the season, in an effort to restore his trade value ahead of the deadline.
“Even as Anthony Davis appears to be talking his way out of Washington, around the league, the feeling is the Wizards are not going to trade him in the coming months,” wrote Deveney. “Ideally, he will come back, show he is healthy, and be put on the trade market next January. Davis does not appear to understand how little trade value he has just now, and it needs to be rebuilt.”
Davis, 33, was traded to the Wizards this summer in a deal for Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, Malaki Branham, AJ Johnson, two first-round picks, and three second-round picks. At 33 years old, the 10x All-Star is approaching the end of his prime, but he can still deliver at a high level with averages of 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game on 50.6% shooting and 27.0% shooting from three.
Initially, the star big man expressed excitement at a new era on the Wizards. He tagged D.C. as an “underrated” NBA city while hyping up a potential partnership with Trae Young. Together, the two have a chance to usher in a new era for the franchise and take them places they haven’t been in decades. Then again, Davis may not be around long enough to see it through.
At this stage of his career, AD wants to join a place where he can play and compete for championships, not where he’ll have to participate in a rebuilding process. The problem is, after playing just 20 games in the 2025-26 season, Davis’ value has never been lower. With averages of 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game on 50.6% shooting and 27.0% shooting from three, it was also his lowest statistical season since 2013-14.
For the Wizards to get a decent return for Davis, he’ll have to play for at least a few months during the season. Besides being healthy, he’ll have to prove that he can still produce at an elite, All-Star level. If he does, teams will start to line up for their chance at the NBA champion. A team like the Houston Rockets could make a run, or even the Toronto Raptors.
For now, it’s still just a waiting game for the Wizards. After landing the top pick this summer, things are looking up for a franchise that, historically, has struggled to stay competitive. But if they want to keep the momentum and maintain their young identity, trading Davis may be the best way to do that if they can restore his value.
