The Washington Wizards completed the blockbuster move to acquire Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the trade deadline a few days ago. Despite how promising Washington’s roster looked on paper, Davis’ pre-existing injury implied that the team would remain undermanned, with reports additionally stating that the superstar big man would be sidelined for the season.
However, in a recent update provided by Wizards GM Will Dawkins, there is some optimism in Washington about Anthony Davis‘ chances of returning this season.
“The plan for AD right now is to go back to Dallas and finish his rehab,” Dawkins stated. “During the All-Star break, he takes another visit to a doctor. And that’s a big appointment for us to kind of see where his progress is at.”
Along with Anthony Davis, Dawkins also provided an update on another one of the Wizards’ star acquisitions ahead of the deadline, Trae Young. He shared:
“He’s still working on the court. He started doing 1-on-0; he started doing a little bit of more 2-on-2 type actions… He’s trending in a positive direction.”
Young was traded to the Wizards from the Atlanta Hawks as part of the first blockbuster deal this season. Although his arrival hinted at a promising start to Washington’s rebuild, Young’s knee injury implied that he would remain sidelined for a considerable amount of time before returning.
However, with promising updates regarding his recovery, the Wizards may be inching closer to seeing their latest additions in action on the floor.
Should The Wizards Activate Anthony Davis And Trae Young This Season?
The additions of Anthony Davis and Trae Young have essentially transformed the Washington Wizards into a bit of a superteam in the East. While boasting two prominent superstars as a part of their core, the Wizards feature several talented players, such as Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, and Bilal Coulibaly, to support them.
Needless to say, this paints a very promising picture for the 2026-27 season, when hopefully their entire roster will be healthy. Thus, it begs the question: Do the Wizards really need to bring Davis and Young back this year?
From a competitive standpoint, this approach may not seem sensible. The Wizards are currently 14th in the East with a 14-38 record. Given that they are effectively competing for a lottery pick at this stage, which may yield more benefit in the immediate context, activating Davis and Young would not present much upside.
However, from the perspective of giving the fans something to be hopeful about, the Wizards front office may actually see merit in bringing the two back. By providing a glimpse of what Washington’s new superstar combo has to offer, the Wizards can position themselves as a competitive unit heading into the 2026-27 season.
With the frontcourt pairing of Alex Sarr and Anthony Davis, two of the most gifted defensive big men in the league, also emerging as an exciting duo, the Wizards may create some intrigue around the franchise heading into the offseason.
