Anthony Davis Puts Wizards Extension on Ice Until Season Ends
AD says he won't talk long-term deal until the season's over. He posted 44.2 FPTS/G in 20 games last year — and he's a trade-deadline wild card.
Healthy, motivated and elite when he plays — grab him at a discount.
- Davis makes $58.5M this season, $62.8M option in 2027-28
- Eligible for extension worth up to $275M through 2031
- 20.4 pts, 11.1 reb in just 20 games (2025-26 actual)
- Yet to play a single game for Washington
- Trade deadline is Feb. 11
Anthony Davis isn't in a hurry to commit to Washington, and he made that plain on media day Monday. The 33-year-old big man told reporters he wants to play out the season first, do his thing at a high level, and only then sit down with the front office to talk about a longer-term deal. Translation: no signature until the summer, at the earliest.
That matters, because Davis is eligible to tack four years and up to $275 million in new money onto his current contract, which pays him $58.5 million this year with a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28. He hasn't suited up for the Wizards yet — a torn ligament in his left hand cost him the final three-plus months of last season after February's trade out of Dallas. When he was on the floor, though, he was every bit himself: 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and nearly three combined steals-and-blocks across 20 appearances in 2025-26.
Why the Hesitation
Washington's track record is the elephant in the room. This is a team that's won 18 games or fewer in each of the last three seasons, hasn't finished above .500 in eight years, and hasn't won a playoff series in a decade. Davis has said publicly he wants a concrete plan for winning before he buys in. He did praise the offseason haul — the No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa, plus veterans Khris Middleton and Deandre Ayton — as signs the front office is serious about flipping the franchise's reputation.
The subplot for fantasy managers is the trade deadline. If Davis comes out healthy and productive while still refusing to sign, Washington may look at what he'd fetch as a short-term rental before Feb. 11. A contender's role could change his fantasy value — usually for the better if it means more competitive minutes, or for the worse if he lands somewhere with a crowded frontcourt.
The Fantasy Fallout
Davis sits at No. 13 overall in our rankings (fifth among forwards) on the strength of 44.2 fantasy points per game in last season's brief sample (2025-26 actual). That's elite production, and GM Will Dawkins says AD is motivated and ready to remind the league who he is. His teammate Alex Sarr (No. 47, 35.9 FPTS/G in 2025-26) also gets a boost from Davis drawing defensive attention up front.
Buy low where you can. The injury history is real — he's topped 60 games just once since the pandemic — but a top-15 player with something to prove and a possible deadline move on the table is exactly the kind of upside you want on your bench. Draft him with a slight discount baked in, monitor his hand and his minutes, and be ready to reap the reward if he stays upright.
