Addressing the Washington media for the first time since his blockbuster February trade, Anthony Davis detailed his expectations regarding the Washington Wizards’ plans to compete.
Davis’ comments suggest he has little to no interest in going through a rebuilding process following his move from the Dallas Mavericks.
Anthony Davis Urges Wizards to Plan for Immediate Contention
Davis was sidelined for the entirety of his time in Washington this season due to a left hand injury. The setback occurred on Jan. 8, while still playing for the Mavericks.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Davis bluntly outlined his expectations for his new franchise, saying he wants the Wizards to do all they can to shed their “losing team” label.
“I’ve been in this league a long time, and I’ve been with losing teams, been on losing teams,” Davis began. “It’s very hard to be a losing team and then a championship contender, right? I think one team has only done it: Boston in ’08. The only team, right? Even when I was in New Orleans, and we had two losing seasons, then we made the playoffs our third year.”
The 2007-08 Boston Celtics remain the gold standard for an instant rebuild, going from a 24-58 record the previous year to a 66-16 finish, culminating with an NBA championship.
While such roster retooling and success are, quite frankly, near-impossible to replicate, Davis remains keen to hold conversations about the front office’s plans for the immediate future.
“So, if something comes out of the conversation where that’s the path, and, obviously, you won’t know until the season starts … that’s what I would like to see,” Davis said.
“What is our plan for winning going into next season? And how? Not like this is a plan, but how do we execute that? And based on that, we’ll kind of see what happens.”
Before his deadline deal on Feb. 4, Davis struggled to maintain his availability for the Mavericks. Featuring in just 20 games, he posted averages of 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game.
A league-worst 17-65 record means the Wizards have secured a top-five pick in the loaded 2026 NBA Draft, but they are well aware that their timeline to return to competitiveness matters to Davis. Now 33 and well known for being injury-prone, the 10-time All-Star can’t afford to wait around for long.
Failing to make the most of their draft capital to build a competent roster would do little to appease Davis and risk a fallout before the 2026-27 season even tips off.
However, a somewhat respectable rebuild and Davis staying fit alongside new co-star Trae Young may be enough to spark a turnaround for Washington.
