Wizards Remain Quiet on Anthony Davis Trade Front Despite Raised Warriors Stakes

The Washington Wizards are playing their ongoing trade saga characteristically-close to the chest.

Mar 5, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) and Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) talk during the fourth quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

For months, Anthony Davis has felt like the Washington Wizards' odd man out.

It wasn't just that he never played a game alongside the rest of the 2025-26 Wizards following his February mega-trade from the Dallas Mavericks. He wasn't nearly as vocally bought- in as fellow newcoming star Trae Young, even voicing what sounded like real suspicions pertaining to whether he and the franchise were aligned on contending timelines multiple times over the last few months.

He may have quieted some of those open doubts over the last few months in making a few social media appearances draped in Wizards apparel, but by this point it's pretty clear; between the decade-plus of experience he's got on Washington's young corps, how little he wants to wade through the development process and the extension pressure he's already begun involuntarily applying, Davis makes the most sense as the most trade rumor-worthy Wizard.

Mar 5, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Injured Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis (M) watches from the bench against the Utah Jazz in the first halfat Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

As unlikely as he seems to stick it out long-term in D.C., I don't think anyone would have guessed that real trade smoke would have started billowing this quickly out of the NBA Draft.

The whispers surrounding the Golden State Warriors' pursuit of their next big man have already escalated into Shams Charania-shouted updates to the rest of the engaged NBA world. Stephen Curry and co. are pushing for one last ride with Davis and, as reports are suggesting, former rival LeBron James, and that means a package composed of draft picks and the presently-injured Jimmy Butler's own onerous contract is on the table.

That news leaked over the weekend's final hours, and the deadline on which players have had to decide on player options placed even more pressure on the developing narrative. Longtime Warriors fixture Draymond Green turned heads in passing up on his own $27.7 million option, a move that ESPN's Charania explains was made in the interest of making contractual room for Davis and James.

The opt-out comes days after the Warriors said they expect Green to pick up the $27.7M option. Instead Green delivers Golden State time and space to pursue Davis with the Wizards and convince James to join Stephen Curry, Green and his old Lakers championship teammate in the Bay. https://t.co/uNMngqPSw2

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 29, 2026

Should the Wizards Want to Wait?

That's the clearest sign yet that a move really could be brewing, as the aging Green would need a good reason to take on less money at this advanced stage in his career. And the NBA world moves fast -- just a few days ago, LaMelo Ball was still a Charlotte Hornet without any reliable buzz linking him to his newest team in the Minnesota Timberwolves.

But it shouldn't be lost on fans that seemingly every update is slated in favor of Golden State's perspective. They're the ones in a rush, having had to determine Green's future on the fly while already racing against the general urgency that follows aging rosters trying to assert themselves as championship challengers.

Mar 16, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Trae Young (3) passes between Golden State Warriors guard De'anthony Melton (8) and forward Draymond Green (23) during the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

The Wizards, meanwhile, don't often allow the rest of the basketball viewing audience into their front office's collective mindset, and this saga shouldn't be any different. All team General Manager Will Dawkins has said on the matter is how excited both he and Davis are to work together following a healthy offseason, suggesting that they feel little pressure in rebuilding the 10x All-Star's asset value alongside an up-and-coming roster.

Wizards GM Will Dawkins on Anthony Davis:

"He wants to be here. We want him here. We'll have that [contract extension] conversation in the middle of August when we can officially have that."pic.twitter.com/3aezhdSqdl

— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) June 25, 2026

Washington could very easily tell the Warriors to remain patient, as the Wizards could squeeze even more out of Davis later in the offseason or midway through the regular season should he prove himself as the dominant two-way paint beast he's always been. Unlike Golden State, the Wizards are in no rush to rack up this upcoming season's win count.

Maybe something will come together in the coming hours or days. But in the meantime, expect the Wizards to take advantage of their leverage in relation to this specific trade partner and bargaining chip by holding out for a deal that best-suits their patient approach. Davis, after all, can be pretty helpful on his own for the short-term, something the aggressive Warriors seem to already understand.

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