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By Jayesh Pagar
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The Washington Wizards walked into this season full of hope.
Trae Young, Anthony Davis, and No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa gave a team coming off a 17-65 season a reason to believe again.
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Thirteen games in, that belief is being tested. Washington sits at 4-9 after Thursday’s 144-140 double-overtime loss to Detroit, and the latest noise around the team has little to do with wins.
It is about Davis’ next contract. The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported Friday on how Davis’ side sees the team’s biggest summer move.
“The Wizards’ decision to give Trae Young a four-year, $212.9 million deal in June was seen by Anthony Davis’ camp as a major obstacle to him getting a max, or near-max, deal from Washington down the line,” Amick wrote.
Davis, 33, is in the second year of the three-year max extension he signed with the Lakers in 2023. He is owed $58.5 million this season and holds a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28.
So talks on his next deal are not far away, and Young’s money already takes up a big piece of the cap. The Athletic’s David Aldridge and Josh Robbins had reported that a max extension for Davis was very unlikely.
Other teams are paying attention, too. Amick added that rivals are watching Davis closely as the trade deadline nears, and his agent, Rich Paul, is known for pushing teams when needed.
Davis has kept things calm in public. At media day, he said he planned to play out the season and talk about his contract once it ends.
His play has backed that up. He dropped 44 points and 13 rebounds in Detroit on Monday, then posted 30 points and 15 boards Thursday before fouling out in double overtime.
The problem is the record. Washington has dropped six straight, and the team is expected to weigh its next step with Davis after about 20 games. For fans finally cheering a real star, that point is only weeks away.
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