Anthony

Davis

Bilal Coulibaly will take the starting spot of AJ Dybantsa who rolled his ankle in the final pre-season game against the Pelicans. Bilal is worth a stream spot in redraft leagues if he’s available.

Davis showed exactly what he’s capable of as an all-around fantasy contributor, needing just over one half of basketball to post a double-double that included three stocks as well. The 33-year-old generational talent will be at the epicenter of everything the Wizards do this season. The omnipresent health and durability concerns are the complicating variables that give him one of the widest range of outcomes in the league. With those caveats out of the way, Davis represents a quality second-round pick in fantasy drafts this fall.

Davis made his Wizards’ preseason debut on Thursday, playing 17 minutes against the Knicks. The veteran forward/center had a good night, with his final stat line lacking only a steal. With reports earlier this week that the Wizards are highly unlikely to give Davis the max extension he wants, this will be a contract year for the veteran big man. With that in mind, he’ll have a lot to play for this season. If Davis stays healthy, that sets him up to be a fantasy steal given his third-round ADP.

Davis currently holds a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 season, but would become eligible for a max extension if he declines. Davis made the All-Star team as recently as 2024-25, but has appeared in only 71 total games over the last two seasons. Robbins and Aldridge cite Davis’ age (33) and 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 for Davis. He comes off the board in the third round of fantasy drafts.

The report made to sure to point out that, despite Aug. 6 marking the first day that Davis is eligible to sign an extension with Washington, negotiations won’t happen until during the season. AD didn’t suit up for the Wizards last season after they dealt for him, so having him play in some games for them will help both parties figure out if Washington will be his long-term home. The Wizards have plenty of talent on their roster, with AD and Trae Young as veteran stars, while AJ Dybantsa, Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson highlight the future faces of the franchise. If they’re able to get things to click, this can be a competitive team in the East next season.

Davis was cleared for light contact last week as the Wizards tried to ramp up the 33-year-old center for a return, but just ran out of time. With Davis this close to returning, he should have a normal offseason and be ready for the start of next year.

Washington continues to pretend that Davis has a chance to suit up this year. He’s progressing, but with less than two weeks left in the season, he isn’t going to make his debut for the Wizards until October. His recovery is going well, and there is no reason to think he won’t be ready for the start of next season.

Davis is currently out with ligament damage in his left hand and was traded to Washington despite the injury. He recently met with Dr. Steven Shin, a hand specialist, and was cleared for the limited return to practice. The Wizards released a statement that Davis will be re-evaluated in two weeks, at which time they will have a clearer timeline of when, or if, he can return to the court this season.

Davis, who suffered ligament damage in his left hand in early January, is progressing in his recovery. However, the Wizards’ forward/center still has not been cleared for basketball activities. For fantasy managers who can afford to take their chances on Davis being active at some point, he’s worth holding onto in an IL slot. That said, managers in leagues where the playoffs will begin before Davis’ re-evaluation will have to seek alternatives.

Two days after NBA insider Chris Haynes reported that Davis was unlikely to play again this season, Dawkins said that he anticipates the forward/center returning at some point. In the short term, Davis will return to Dallas to work with his medical team as he recovers from ligament damage in his left hand. Dawkins also noted that the 4-to-6 week timeline provided in mid-January is closer to 6-to-10 weeks. If Davis were to play this season, the timeline suggests he won’t be available until sometime in March.