Wizards GM Addresses Anthony Davis Trade Rumors Before Season
The Washington Wizards are looking to have a much-improved season behind No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa, who has been dazzling and impressing with his early NBA Summer League performances.
Washington began to upgrade its roster last season, with big trades to land veteran All-Star center Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks and All-Star Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks. Davis’s playing time with the Wizards ended due to injury, and some began speculating that he might not remain part of the team’s plans moving forward.
“We’ve gotta, don’t worry too much about [trade rumors.] AD’s in DC, wants to be in DC, we’re gonna keep him there. I think the important thing for us is just building on the summer and kinda making sure we’re ready to go at the beginning of the year,” general manager Will Dawkins said on SiriusXMNBA Radio.
“He was out here with all of our guys. We had every single one of our team members here,” Dawkins said. “He was a big part of what we had going on, working out, leading the group workouts for our veteran players. So, it’ll be a fun summer. Obviously, we’ll have a conversation when we’re allowed to officially have a conversation.”
Read more:AJ Dybantsa Sees ‘Culture Shift' With Wizards at Summer League
Davis, a former one-and-done Kentucky standout under John Calipari, joined the NBA in 2012 with the New Orleans Pelicans. He has since achieved 10 All-Star selections, four All-NBA First Team selections, and an NBA championship alongside LeBron James on the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers famously sent him to the Dallas Mavericks in the blockbuster February 2025 deal that brought superstar Luka Doncic to Los Angeles. Davis, who has experienced an injury-plagued career, only participated in 29 games between the end of his 2025-26 season and the beginning of this past season.
With Davis hurt and the Mavs looking to build around their No. 1 pick, Cooper Flagg, they traded Davis to the Wizards along with teammates Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum. In exchange, the Wizards sent Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson, Tyus Jones, and multiple draft picks.
Unfortunately, Davis continues to experience injury woes, as he was shut down in early April with a hand injury and was unable to really contribute to the Wizards. By late April, rumors swirled as NBA insider Chris B. Haynes said there was a “good chance” Davis would go elsewhere before the 2026 season started.
However, with Dybantsa coming in and Young at point guard, Davis seems to be in a good spot. His showing up with Wizards teammates is a significant sign, along with Dawkins’ recent comments, as many believe this 2026-27 Wizards team will show major improvement over their previous seasons.
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This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 7:56 PM.