Jason Burgos
A new report suggests the Golden State Warriors would need to make an offer that blows the Washington Wizards away to bring Anthony Davis back to the West Coast next season.
After another finish far below expectations in the 2025-26 season, many around the NBA expected the Warriors to make a notable splash this offseason. The assumption for the last few months has been that the move would be persuading 22-time All-Star LeBron James to head north and leave the Los Angeles Lakers behind.
While James did inform LA last month that he will be playing elsewhere in 2026-27, Golden State has serious competition for his services from teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. However, a rumor a couple of weeks back suggested that James could request the Warriors trade for his former Lakers teammate, Davis, to get him to put pen to paper on a team-friendly deal.
But would the Wizards actually trade Davis a few months after acquiring him to be part of a massive turnaround next season? According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, Washington has no interest in moving the oft-injured 10-time All-Star.
“We don’t know for certain where Davis will play next season. The Wizards have expressed no interest in trading him, league sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the deliberations told The Athletic. They also acquired him for a minimum package less than a year ago.”
– Fred Katz
What would an Anthony Davis trade cost the Golden State Warriors?
However, the NBA insider did keep the door open to a potential trade when he noted that if James demanded they acquire Davis, then Washington would still take a call from the Warriors “if Golden State offered a luscious return for James’ former running mate.” But what would that cost be?
To make the money side of a deal work, Jimmy Butler would have to be included since he makes almost the same amount of money next season as Davis. However, in the trade with the Dallas Mavericks, along with Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, and Marvin Bagley III, the Wizards received two first-round draft picks and three second-rounders. Even after recovery from a torn ACL, Butler is a better return than Middleton, Johnson, Branham, and Bagley III. But the Wiz will want some worthwhile draft picks as well.
At the very least, the Warriors would need to match that return. Would Butler, two first-rounders, and three second-rounders be enough to acquire Davis? It should be. When healthy, Butler feels like a better fit in Washington’s starting five, and No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa could be moved to the four spot. So the deal makes a lot of sense for the Wizards.
