The future is now: Breaking down the blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to Washington
The Wizards rebuild might be nearing an end.
The Washington Wizards have been stuck in the depths of tanking oblivion for the better part of three years, and the franchise has been miles away from contention since the John Wall era came to a close in December of 2020.
On Wednesday afternoon, in trading for oft-injured yet bona fide superstar Anthony Davis, Wizards general manager Will Dawkins announced to the NBA that Washington’s darkest days are finally in the rearview mirror.
Though the move is generating mixed reviews, here are three reasons why Wizards fans should be ecstatic about Washington’s Trade Deadline blockbuster:
This year’s tank remains intact
When reports of the Davis trade first broke, the news that Washington had shipped ‘two first-round picks’ to the Dallas Mavericks sent shivers down the spine of every Wizards fan. The 2026 draft class — chock-full of franchise-changing talent and highlighted by Darryn Peterson — is one of the best in recent memory, and Washington (assuming they don’t drop out of the top eight, which would send their selection to the New York Knicks) is set to have a juicy pick near the top of the board.
Losing this year’s pick would’ve been a colossal mistake. But Washington didn’t trade its 2026 first-rounder. In fact, Dawkins didn’t give up a single one of the Wizards’ own picks, instead putting together a package centered around Oklahoma City’s 2026 first (currently 30th overall), Golden State’s top-20 protected 2030 first, and three second-rounders courtesy of Phoenix, Chicago, and Houston.
The package for Davis, which also includes Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, and Marvin Bagley III, doesn’t involve any of Washington’s top young talent or any of its most valuable draft capital. The sheer number of picks and players involved might turn heads, but in reality, Dawkins gave up next to nothing to acquire a 10x All-Star.
Further helping this year’s tank, Davis, like Trae Young (whom the Wizards acquired in another stunning move a month ago), is currently dealing with an injury, and it was announced Friday that the team would be shutting down their new big man for the rest of the season. So, by shipping away key contributors in Middleton, Bagley, and Johnson (who was quietly averaging 15.5 points over his last two games), Washington betters its chances at a top pick, all while stockpiling a future Hall-of-Fame player for next season.
It’s a low-risk, high-reward gamble
Critics will point to Davis’s robust injury history as a reason to be pessimistic about the move, and it is true that keeping the 32-year-old on the court will be a real challenge. Over the past seven seasons, Davis has played more than 60 games just twice.
Here’s a breakdown of the lengthy list of ailments that have sidelined Davis since he helped lead the Lakers to the 2020 NBA championship:
Missed 36 games in 2020-21 due to a calf strain and Achilles tendonitis
Missed 42 games in 2021-22 due to an MCL strain and a sprained ankle
Missed 26 games in 2022-23 due to a foot injury
Missed 31 games in 2024-25 due to a detached retina and an adductor strain
Has missed over half this season with a calf strain, groin injury, and his current ligament damage in his hand
Yet, Davis is still a valuable addition at the bargain price that Dawkins paid at the Trade Deadline. The Wizards have no shortage of picks at their disposal, thanks to a Magnus Carlsen-like string of moves that turned Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma into a complete overhaul of Washington’s resources, and a young core that is clearly ready to start contending sooner rather than later.
Even if Davis plays less than half of his games in Washington, his veteran presence and mentorship of Alex Sarr will be invaluable. But if the Wizards get lucky and Davis plays to 80% of his 2020 form, Washington will have an All-Star-level, shot-blocking, 20-point-per-game scorer to plug in alongside its young nucleus.
Davis is the most accomplished basketball player in Washington since Michael Jordan
Whether or not the risk pays off, Davis brings a resume to the franchise the likes of which Wizards fans haven’t seen since Michael Jordan roamed the Nation’s Capital from 2001 to 2003.
A 6-foot-10, 10x All-Star from Chicago, Illinois, Davis emerged as the No. 1 prospect in the high school class of 2011 while playing at Perspectives Charter School. His generational combination of shot-blocking and scoring acumen quickly translated to the college game, where he led Kentucky to the 2012 National Championship while earning Naismith College Player of the Year and Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
His unparalleled one-and-done season with the Wildcats led to his No. 1 overall selection by the then New Orleans Hornets in the 2012 NBA draft, and Davis has since put together a first-ballot Hall of Fame resume in 13 professional seasons. An NBA champion, 4x All-NBA First Team selection, and 3x All-Defensive First Team selection, Davis has averaged at least 20 points and 7.9 rebounds per game in every season since 2013-14.
Having a winner like Davis in the building, injuries aside, legitimizes the contender that Dawkins and company are trying to build in Washington. And it seems Davis might be on the verge of buying into the vision.
“At this point in my career, I want to compete for a championship,” Davis told The Athletic on Friday. “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.”
In a perfect world, Davis will roam the paint alongside Alex Sarr to create the most dangerous defensive frontcourt in the league, operate in a potentially lethal two-man game with Trae Young, and use his gravity to give sharpshooters Tre Johnson and Kyshawn George room to operate. Maybe nagging ailments continue to keep Davis off the court. Maybe the former top pick’s best days are long behind him. But at the price Dawkins paid, Davis isn’t the be-all and end-all of the Wizards’ rebuild. The young core of Sarr, George, Johnson, Carrington, and Coulibaly is still at the center of Washington’s future; Davis is just a sign that it’s time for expectations to level up.