Now the Wizards May Not Want to Pay Davis Either

Back in late September, I noted that Anthony Davis was in no rush to sign an extension — his position was wait-and-see, finish the season, then talk. The news this week flips that around. A report out Wednesday says Washington is unlikely to offer Davis a max extension at all. Both sides pumping the brakes is a different situation than one side doing it.

Davis is on the last year of his current deal, and the Wizards finished 17-65. That record is the evaluation. The front office brought him in as part of an aggressive overhaul, and the team went 3-27 over its final thirty games, got outscored by nearly 18 points a night down the stretch, and never solved the close-game problems that sank them the year before. Whatever fit and performance assessment GM Will Dawkins said he'd conduct, the results are in.

None of this means Davis is gone or that the relationship is broken — the report is about a max extension specifically, not about his status for the coming season. He's still under contract. But the posture has changed. A month ago this was a player choosing patience; now it looks more like two parties quietly stepping back from a commitment neither is sure about. That's worth tracking as camp opens.