Wizards' Anthony Davis Unlikely to Play for Rest of Season

The Washington Wizards officially stated what had been reported since the second the trade happened, announcing that All-NBA big man Anthony Davis will likely miss the remainder of the season as he continues to rehab his hand and groin injuries, per NBA insider Chris Haynes.

BREAKING: Washington Wizards star Anthony Davis (hand, groin) expected to sit out the remainder of the season to fully get healthy for the 2026-27 season, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/HKqEL9mBFC
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 7, 2026

Washington made the infamous trade a day before the listed trade deadline, sending Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Marvin Bagley III, Malaki Branham, and draft capital in exchange for Davis, Jaden Hardy, Dante Exum, and D’Angelo Russell.

While the other members of the trade are expected to be impactful players in the Wizards’ rotation for the rest of the season as Washington’s front office continues to weed out the talent they plan to keep around long term, it comes as no surprise that they chose to shut Davis down, as there is no reason not to err on the side of precaution.

Washington Wizards Center Anthony Davi — Jan 6, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) drives past Sacramento Kings guard DeMar DeRozan (10) in the first quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images | Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Davis' Injury Issues

When on the floor, it is hard to argue that there are many players better than him on the entire planet, but the recurring problem with Davis over the years has been doing just that: getting on the floor. The 32-year-old big man has had only three seasons in his 14-year career where he eclipsed 70+ games played, and on the contrary, he has had six seasons where he played fewer than 60 games.

Davis has only seen an increase in injury issues as he continues to age, highlighted by him playing just 29 games over the past year he spent as part of the Dallas Mavericks. Now in a new home and with a lesser burden of winning on his shoulders, Davis has been given the option of full rehab and recovery without any concern about immediate team success.

The Wizards are in no push to make a playoff run this season — in fact, they are doing quite the opposite, giving plenty of minutes to young guys and less proven players in hopes of bottoming out and acquiring a top draft pick in the 2026 class. As a result, Davis has been given the luxury of rest and recovery, not being forced to return to high-level basketball until he is at 100%.

Whether this time off from basketball will be beneficial to him or not is yet to be known, but at worst, it’s a change of pace for a guy who seemingly hasn’t been able to catch a break over the past few years. The Wizards organization may not view Davis as a staple in their true long-term goals, but at worst, he is a valuable building block who can help the young core build playoff experience. In order for them to do so, Washington will need him at his best, meaning health is the top priority, adding context to this move which may seem confusing to some.

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