Davis had been on the trade block in Dallas for much of the season, but there was some doubt about whether a deal would materialize after he suffered ligament damage to his left hand, an injury which was expected to sideline him for least most of February, if not beyond that. Rumored suitors like Atlanta and Toronto appeared to back off to some extent, opening the door for a surprise team like the Wizards to make a deal.
Davis, who has a lengthy injury history, has been plagued by multiple ailments (adductor, eye, calf, groin, hand) since was traded to Dallas last February. In 20 games this season, he averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.7 blocks in 31.3 minutes per contest.
The former No. 1 overall pick is on a maximum-salary contract that runs through 2027-28, with a $62.8M player option for that final season.
The Wizards are incentivized to lose as many games as possible down the stretch to retain their 2026 first-round pick, which is top-eight protected, and improve their odds of landing one of the draft’s prized prospects. Trae Young (knee, quad) has yet to play for the Wizards after they traded for the star point guard last month.
GM Will Dawkins said in an interview at the end of January that Young was out through the All-Star break, but stressed the team wasn’t shutting him down for the season. That doesn’t appear to apply to Davis, however.
In an exclusive phone interview with David Aldridge of The Athletic, Davis said he had a “great” visit with the Wizards’ ownership and front office on Friday, but the 32-year-old forward/center readily admitted he had questions about how the rebuilding team planned to become a contender.
“At this point in my career, I want to compete for a championship,” Davis said. “Whether that’s here or elsewhere, I have no idea. It’s been phenomenal, everything they’re saying. Everything they’re showing me is nothing short of phenomenal. Now it’s about having an actual conversation about the team.”
While Davis told Aldridge he loved Washington D.C. and was open-minded about the team’s vision for the future, he made it clear his priority is to win as many games as possible going forward.
“It’s hard to say (I would definitely stay in D.C.) without the proper plan,” Davis said. “Obviously, it’s tough right now with the team, right now. It shows with their record, but adding certain pieces, that can change. It’s year by year. They could be the No. 1 team in the East next year.”