Anthony Davis dismisses wild view of Washington’s 2027 cap

In a blockbuster move on Wednesday, The Washington Wizards acquired Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericksalong with D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy and Dante Exum, sending four players and five draft picks in return. Unsurprisingly, the discussion soon turned to his feelings and the familiar cost of a reluctant trade.

Veteran NBA reporter Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported that Davis “probably isn’t thrilled about joining the Wizards,” a point he reiterated on Thursday’s podcast. however, the 10-time All-Star denied any such feelings and laid out what will ultimately determine his future in the capital in an interview with Athletic on Friday.

“They said I said a lot of things in another town that I didn’t say,” Davis he said. “The visit was great. They definitely welcomed me with open arms, spent some time with Ted (Leonsis) and Zach (Leonsis). It’s totally different than what they do. I know it’s like, oh, they have a stigma that they’re not a good team. I haven’t seen the practice field yet, but they look at the arena, and the world is great. take care of the families.

Davis indicated that any commitment would depend on his understanding of Washington’s long-term strategy.

“I’ve got to talk to Will (Dawkins), Ted, Zach, and kind of figure out what the actual plan is and then just go from there,” Davis said. “I had a little talk (Friday) with Villa. Obviously, at this time, every year, you want to compete for championships and things like that. That’s obviously the main focus, to get to that place. Talks will be had to see how to get to that space. I’ve been everywhere the last two years. I want to see the plan, hear the plan, see what’s in here, see what the other things are (Brng). Thinking about it, I want to have those conversations with them and see what will happen, the city is obviously phenomenal.

The 32-year-old big man made his most memorable remark when talking about the Wizards’ potential trajectory. Washington has won just 33 games over the past two seasons and currently sits in 13th place in the Eastern Conference with a 14–36 record. They’ve also missed the postseason in four straight years and haven’t topped 35 wins in any season during that span.

“Obviously it’s tough with the team right now,” Davis said. “That shows their record, but by adding certain pieces, that can change. It’s year-to-year. They could be the No. 1 team in the East next year.”

That optimism hinges on the formation of a roster around a young core that includes Alex Sarr, Bilal Koulibaly, Keyshon George, Tre Johnson and newly acquired Trae Young. The Wizards acquired Young from the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 7, adding that Davis reportedly aimed to show Young that the team is serious about contending next season.

Under the contract, Davis remains noncommittal. He is under contract through the 2026–27 season at about $58.5 million and has a player option worth about $62.8 million for the 2027–28 season. His agent, Rich Paul, confirmed that extension talks are not imminent, especially given Davis’ age and recent injury history. Since joining Dallas last February, Davis has appeared in just 29 of a possible 83 games and is currently on the shelf after surgery on his left hand in mid-January.