Wizards' Recent Decision Opens Up Anthony Davis Trade Rumors Again

With no contract extension for Anthony Davis on the table, trade rumors are about to start spreading once again.

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

It was recently announced that the Washington Wizards will be holding off on contract extension talks with Anthony Davis this summer. Instead, the team may explore this again during the season. This is a calm and collected move by the front office to first judge whether Davis fits the team's ultimate goals and on-court chemistry. Despite this good news, it has opened up a new avenue for trade rumors to start again.

Trade Rumors Will Spread Like Wildfire

Mar 8, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis (23) watches during the first half against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The trade rumors with Davis were already out of hand to start the offseason. The biggest one was the possibilty of him being traded to the Golden State Warriors. This was all just when LeBron James was a free agent, and was a way to lure James to the Warriors. When he made his decision to sign with the Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers, those rumors shut down completely.

During Summer League, general manager Will Dawkins also shut down those rumors. He said that Davis wants to be in DC, and that they want him there as well. This then made the possibility of an extension seem even more likely, especially after the one they gave Trae Young. Still, the rumors were wrong about that again. So what's to say that these next rumors that start won't be false again?

Well, it makes more sense to wait on an extension for a player like Davis. He has not played a single minute for the Wizards, so how do you know he fits in? He is also aging, and health concerns are going to flare up even more. It would have been a bad bet to give him superstar money that can ruin the foundations of team building for the future. The possibilty of a trade also becomes more likely as Davis can rebuild his value.

By playing Davis, the Wizards will achieve two things. The first is simply to win more games. The second, though, is increasing his trade value across the league. When they first acquired the big man, it cost them the 30th pick in the 2026 draft, along with a top-20 protected pick from the Warriors, and the odds say that pick won't convey. So basically, to acquire Davis, they traded Khris Middleton (who came back) and a pick that has the same amount of value as a second-round pick. If Davis can just play good enough to warrant two first round picks in return, then the trade is ultimately a win.

What does this scribe think is going to happen? I think Davis will not be traded, not because of an extension, but because his contract is so hard to trade for. I envision the Wizards front office will keep him and let him play out his contract if a trade does not materialize by the deadline. This frees up cap space for the 2024 draft class extensions as well. Even with all this smoke and mirrors, it's safe to say Davis will be a Wizard for the foreseeable future.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!