It turns out Anthony Davis' stint with the Washington Wizards could be so brief that his jersey with that franchise becomes a collector's item in the Hall of Fame of short-lived experiences. Think Carmelo Anthony and the Atlanta Hawks. NBA insider Chris Haynes hinted at that possibility recently.
"He's at a place right now where he can't afford to ... try to build the Wizards stature up over a course of a few seasons. ... I do think there's a good chance that he may end up somewhere else by the time next season starts."
Just like that, Lakers fans started to envision a dream reunion with Davis. To some capacity, it makes sense. Davis is in the win-now portion of his career, and so are the Lakers. His theoretical fit with Luka Doncic would be a strong one too. Plus, AD never really wanted to leave in the first place.
However, dreaming up Davis to Los Angeles willfully ignores all the reasons it could quickly become a disastrous fit. Injuries, the upcoming contract decision, and running back a formula that has not worked are all clear reasons for the Lakers to search for frontcourt answers elsewhere.
Lakers must evolve beyond Anthony Davis in the Luka Doncic era
It is understandable why Lakers fans would want a Davis reunion. It's a big, sexy star name. Plus, there is a proven track record of success with him in Los Angeles.
What else is there a concrete history of? Injuries.
For anyone complaining about that topic being brought up, it would be like ignoring a giant warning label on a package. It has to be said. Yes, Davis is still a tremendously talented player when he is on the court. However, his injury troubles have only gotten worse since leaving Los Angeles.
Davis only appeared in 20 games during the 2025-26 season. Some of that can be chalked up to the Wizards playing it safe after the trade that got him to Washington. Even so, barely playing with the Dallas Mavericks should not be overlooked in its concern.
The Lakers would have to look at the recent injury history knowing they would need to pay up for Davis' next contract too. The current Wizards big man is making $58.5 million in 2026-27, and has a player option worth $62.8 million for 2027-28.
Bringing him in would not only make him the most expensive player on the roster, but also put the Lakers under the spotlight for the contract that comes after. How comfortable would Rob Pelinka be with handing a mid-30s Davis another max deal?
Speaking of that price point, adding the former Lakers champion back into the mix would immediately put the franchise back into undesirable roster conditions. Los Angeles would be incredibly top-heavy again with the deals of Doncic, Davis, and the expected max deal of Austin Reaves eating away at most of the salary cap table.
This summer was supposed to be about filling out a competent roster for Luka. Adding Davis would make depth an afterthought yet again.
What does a trade with the Wizards even look like? Washington gave up multiple picks for Davis, and would understandably seek reasonable compensation if they are going to move him so quickly.
Weighing the pros and cons of pursuing a reunion with their former big man does not come out favorably for Pelinka and company. Lakers fans can still appreciate and root for Davis. At this point, though, it should be from a distance.
Add us as a preferred source on Google