Wizards Make the Right Play in Delaying Anthony Davis Extension Talks

The Washington Wizards are taking the cautious route regarding their new star's hunt for another contract.

Dec 25, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) before the game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Washington Wizards fans have reason to trust their front office. They've performed about as well as they could have in adding talent where they've had the opportunities, drafting well and regularly spinning damaged assets into roster upgrades.

But after awhile, they have to actually begin building on their foundation. Beyond a simple uptick in nightly and seasonal on-court wins, extensions need to be doled out, and Washington's decision-making executives are already beginning to demonstrate real poise in the face of demanding deadlines.

Anthony Davis is up for a four-year, $275 million extension this summer, and some insiders were really wondering how tall the team would stand in the face of the powerful All-Star. It turns out that the Wizards are willing to take the patient approach; according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who reports that "league sources who were granted anonymity to speak freely told The Athletic that any meaningful talks between Davis and the Wizards about a possible extension will occur during the 2026-27 season, not before."

Mar 30, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis (23), center, looks on from the bench during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Wizards' Need to Hold the Line

That announcement, if semi-predictable, served as a huge breath of fresh air for the Washington-based basketball-viewing audience.

As much as a healthy Davis promises to help push the Wizards' goal of contending for a playoff berth forward, he's still yet to play a game with the franchise. Following his February trade, the team opted to take exhibit caution with their brittle All-Star, a double-edged strategy that ensured that he wouldn't squeak out any unnecessary wins to close out their tank-tastic regular season close.

He wasn't as instantly-convinced of Washington's upside as Trae Young, another recently-traded stud who'd already talked himself into playing alongside the Wizards' vast young corps. And Young was already rewarded with a new deal of his own earlier this summer- with a player-option brewing, he signed his own fresh four-year deal, set to earn $212 million through the end of the decade.

Mar 8, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) reacts after a three-point basket against the New Orleans Pelicans during the first half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Many assumed that his situation served as a precursor of the Davis saga to come. Two name-brand stars looking to build some their value back up arrive in Washington and accept hefty paychecks up front, presumably due to the lack of intriguing pieces worth compensating on a 17-win squad.

That's where the young development pieces come into play, a factor that many outsiders underestimate when projecting the group's long-term future. The Wizards are riddled with future star bets lining their upcoming rotation, with players such as Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Tre Johnson and, most recently, AJ Dybantsa taking up key roles alongside Davis and Young. They, too, will need contracts of their own once their rookie deals hit their respective expirations dates, an equation that a hasty Davis extension would complicate.

Now that Robbins has made it clear that the Wizards would rather watch Davis remind the NBA world of his dominance before making their next move, a few possibilities remain for this upcoming season. They'll either hand him the figure he wants midway through the campaign, or trade him quickly should they decide that he no longer fits the timeline and is still worth notable assets in return.

Even if Davis- who still has another guaranteed year left to play before he encounters his own player-option dilemma- is ready to attack the falls tip-off with the best and most available version of himself, the Wizards are smart for waiting to watch him walk the walk. If the once-suspicious Davis wants to be paid like an enduring building block, he'll have to start looking like one first.

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