Wizards won't give Anthony Davis the max, and Daniels is finally back

The Wizards are drawing a hard line on Anthony Davis, and the clock is already ticking toward February

Before Anthony Davis has played a single regular-season game for the Washington Wizards, the team has essentially told the rest of the NBA where things stand. The Athletic's David Aldridge and Josh Robbins reported Tuesday that there is "almost no chance" the Wizards give Anthony Davis a max contract extension. That's a blunt conclusion, and it arrived before tip-off of the preseason opener.

The numbers behind it are enormous. Davis holds a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28. If he declines it, he becomes eligible for a four-year extension through 2030-31 worth up to $275 million. He wants that deal, or something close to it. Other NBA teams widely know Davis wants a max-level type of contract on his next deal. Washington isn't going to give it to him.

The reasons aren't complicated. Aldridge and Robbins cite Davis' age, at 33, and his injury history, as well as the Wizards still being in the development stage with a young core of players as reasons Washington won't prioritize a max extension. Davis didn't play for Washington in 2025-26 because of ligament damage in his left hand. He made the All-Star team as recently as 2024-25, but has appeared in only 71 total games over the last two seasons.

The Wizards' long-term math makes the decision even clearer. Washington's long-term plans focus on AJ Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, and the team wants to preserve flexibility for a possible Dybantsa max rookie-scale extension that would begin in 2030-31. Extensions for Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George would start in 2028-29, and Bilal Coulibaly is extension-eligible now, with an Oct. 19 deadline. Committing a quarter-billion to Davis would strangle all of that.

The Wizards re-signed Trae Young to a four-year, $213 million deal this summer, and that contract likely makes Washington less willing to commit similar money to Davis. The roster already carries $58.5 million for Davis this season alone. Committing another maximum contract to Davis would leave Washington with a significant portion of its payroll tied to him and Young.

Davis said at media day he'd wait until next offseason to discuss an extension. That timeline is already being shaped by outside forces. Davis' agent, Rich Paul, has already assessed trade interest around the league and is expected to keep doing so as the February deadline approaches. The February 11 deadline is roughly four months away. If Davis opts out of his player option in the summer of 2027, he would be eligible for up to a four-year extension worth as much as $275 million. No team is going to outbid itself before he gets there. But teams will be watching.

Washington arrives at the preseason opener having not yet played a game at this level, making this a genuine first look at what the Wizards are building heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Projected starters have Trae Young at point guard, Kyshawn George at shooting guard, Dybantsa at small forward, Davis at power forward, and Alex Sarr at center. Sarr said he took part in 5-on-5 full-contact work during Monday's practice, after undergoing right foot surgery in June. He appears likely to be ready for the start of the regular season, though it's unclear how much action he'll see during the preseason.

The Davis situation is genuinely complicated. He's good when he plays. Across 48 regular-season appearances in 2025-26, he averaged 16.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 blocks and 0.8 steals in 27.2 minutes per game. That's a productive player. But productive at what cost, and for how long, is the question Washington's front office has already answered internally.

This front office has been disciplined. Washington is navigating a developmental timeline centered around young core pieces like Dybantsa and former lottery picks like Sarr, meaning a massive veteran max could severely compromise their future financial flexibility. General manager Will Dawkins praised Davis' mindset at the season-opening news conference and didn't close any doors publicly. The Athletic did it for him.

Meanwhile, Daniels is back, and the Commanders badly need it

Across town, the Washington Commanders got the best possible news out of Wednesday's practice. Quarterback Jayden Daniels returned to practice this week and is expected to start Sunday when Washington hosts the New York Giants in an NFC East matchup in Landover, Md.

Daniels has missed the Commanders' last two games, including Sunday's 30-13 loss to the Colts in London, due to a dislocated left elbow sustained against the Cowboys in Week 2. He is opting not to undergo surgery and will wear a brace. After practice Wednesday, Daniels said, "I'm gonna embrace the brace."

The situation at quarterback got worse in London before it got better. Backup Marcus Mariota aggravated a right knee injury during that game, which resulted in rookie seventh-rounder Athan Kaliakmanis being inserted into the action. The rookie threw his first NFL touchdown but couldn't lead the team all the way back in the 30-13 loss. Mariota is now listed as a non-participant on the official Week 5 injury report.

Head coach Dan Quinn told reporters Monday the team expects Daniels to return, saying: "The goal is for him to have a full week of practice, a full week and start on Sunday." Quinn got what he wanted. Daniels was a full participant in practice for the first time since his Week 2 elbow injury on Wednesday.

The matchup matters. The division-leading Giants are 3-1, coming off a 36-24 win over the visiting Arizona Cardinals, and are seeking their first 4-1 start since 2022. Washington needs a victory because it faces the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams in a daunting stretch of three games after playing New York. Lose Sunday and this season could effectively be over by Halloween.

The penalty problem doesn't go away with a healthy quarterback. Washington was penalized 10 times in London while Indianapolis was flagged just once, and pre-snap penalties have wiped out two touchdowns over the past two weeks, prompting a tweak in practice. Quinn said Wednesday: "I wanted to make sure our emphasis was on our mental discipline. We have to get that right."

Also on the injury report Wednesday: wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs were both listed as non-participants with hamstring injuries. Their status for Sunday is uncertain. Daniels returning to throw passes matters less if his top two receivers aren't available to catch them.

The Commanders open at home as roughly a three-point favorite, which is the market's way of saying it trusts Daniels to show up and compete. He played just two games last year before the same elbow ended his season. The quarterback battled the same injury last year and was forced to leave his first game back after aggravating it. The brace is new. The risk is not.

Sources

• The Athletic: Anthony Davis, Washington Wizards future (Aldridge & Robbins, Oct. 6, 2026)
• NBC Sports: Report: Almost no chance Wizards give Davis the max (Oct. 6, 2026)
• RealGM: Anthony Davis seeks max-level deal, Wizards unlikely to offer it (Oct. 6, 2026)
• Newsweek: Wizards unlikely to offer Anthony Davis max deal amid rebuild (Oct. 6, 2026)
• National Football Post / Field Level Media: Jayden Daniels set to return as Commanders host Giants (Oct. 8, 2026)
• Washington Commanders official site: Week 5 injury report vs. Giants (Oct. 7, 2026)
• Sports Illustrated / Burgundy Roundup: Daniels takes a big step, injury questions grow (Oct. 7, 2026)
• Bleacher Report: Jayden Daniels injury update, return timeline (Oct. 5, 2026)