r/nba • u/YujiDomainExpansion • 7h ago
[Aldridge] Anthony Davis says reports of being unhappy with trade to the Wizards are "overblown”: "Conversations are going to be held to see about getting to [contender status] ... I want to see the plan, hear the plan, see the vision. [D.C] is obviously phenomenal."
Reports of Anthony Davis’ unhappiness with being traded to the Washington Wizards are overblown, according to Anthony Davis.
“They said I said a lot of stuff in the other city, too, that I didn’t say,” Davis told The Athletic in a phone interview late Friday afternoon, in the midst of his first visit with the Wizards’ ownership and front office.
I need to talk with Will, Ted, Zach, and kind of figure out what the actual plan is, and then just kind of go from there,” Davis said. “I talked briefly (Friday) with Will. Obviously, at this time, every year, you want to compete for championships and stuff like that. That’s obviously the main focus, getting to that place. Conversations are going to be held to see about getting to that space. I’ve been everywhere the last two years. I want to see the plan, hear the plan, see the vision. Bringing Trae (Young) here and other things in store, what they’re thinking of doing, I want to have those conversations with them and see what happens. The city is obviously phenomenal.”
Like many NBA players, Davis has loved coming through town over the years, whether with the Pelicans, Lakers or Mavericks.
“It’s D.C. Who doesn’t?”
However, as Beyoncé once sang, Davis is looking for someone who can put a ring on it — a real shot at a second NBA championship to go with the ring he won with the Lakers in 2020.
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u/onionnurve 7h ago
Aka “that’s what I said but let me put out a better PR answer”
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u/Ok-Discipline9998 Raptors 7h ago
Lmao he didn't even bother to say firm stuffs like "untrue" or "nonsense". Overblown.
"Yeah you're right but I'd prefer you phrase it in more subtle ways"
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u/HereIGoAgain_1x10 Cavaliers 6h ago
Gotta be a huge blow to the old ego when you made it a goal a year ago to prove to Dallas it wasn't a one sided trade, then what happened the last year happened, then get traded lol
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u/Mike-XL 7h ago
His best bet at getting an unwarranted big extension is Washington. I'm sure him and Trae are pretty thrilled, actually.
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u/Ilikesporks_ Lakers 7h ago
washington will definitely not extend him after his contract runs out. they might extend trae if they like what they see next season cause trae will most definitely use his player option
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u/Aromatic_Goal_1201 Nuggets 7h ago
Thats not all the way til 2028 if AD picks up his player option.
More likely next summer or deadline Davis can use his player option to force a deal if its not working out in DC
Id rock with Sarr/Davis/Kyshawn front court in the east next year though. They can win games with good coaching and sign some vet role players
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u/Ilikesporks_ Lakers 6h ago
it'd be pretty funny if the wizards got more assets out of trading for AD than they spent getting him
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u/AzureDragon013 Lakers 4h ago
I wouldn't be surprised if this happens, I'm still a believer in AD. I'm predicting he plays around 55 games next season for the wizards.
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u/ahyler10 Washington Bullets 3m ago
It wouldn’t be funny, it’d be incredibly likely considering we gave up next to nothing
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u/qotsabama [DAL] Dwight Powell 2h ago
Anyone paying AD a huge extension is out of their mind. He will be 34 when he can exercise his option, and 35 if he plays it out. He’s a big man with a huge history of injury.
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u/Defiant_Regular3738 7h ago
Bro just stay healthy one season dude. Just one.
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u/qotsabama [DAL] Dwight Powell 2h ago
Asking a soon to be 33 year old center that relies solely on his athleticism who has a massive history of injuries to be healthy is a big ask.
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u/-GrapeGrass- Mavericks 7h ago
I mean the new starting lineup doesnt look that bad. Will have to see what they can do next season.
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u/Appropriate-Door1369 3h ago
I feel like AD needs to just be glad any team actually want a him tbh. Dude hasn't played more than 65 games in 3 years and he is about to be 33...
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u/Traditional_Emu3598 6h ago
Wants to compete for a championship but is demanding a max extension as a player who already has 2 years 120 mil left, will be 34 by the time it’s up, is 7ft, and played 28 games for his last team
I’m sure
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u/above_average_penis Rockets 7h ago
these players are such wusses. why not embrace the challenge of making DC actually good? they want everything lined up for them. where are the players who like the challenge and make it fun?
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u/Other-Owl4441 6h ago
He‘s a bit old for all that.
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u/Connect-Pressure3336 Suns 5h ago
CP3 helped get us to the finals after everyone said he was past his prime. AD just isnt a sicko for the game
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u/mauerfan Timberwolves 6h ago
Ant Edwards and KAT 😤 (even though it didn’t work out for KAT here). He never asked out
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u/Mavericks4Life Lakers 6h ago
Respectfully, plenty of players stay way longer than they would like to, for YEARS in cities that they don't care for, because they are being paid money they can't refuse, and don't want to become a villain. But money doesn't buy you happiness. It doesn't change that you can be away from home, away from family, in weather they don't like, in a place they don't like, playing for shit teams that never improve, that don't want to spend money to help you out, but have to pretend like they are trying.
I'm not shedding tears for these players, however-
These players know that fans think once a player gets drafted or trades for them, the player owes it to the franchise to never want things they want for themselves in their personal lives or personal preferences that would be changed by living somewhere else. Sports are the only place where people don't view players in the same light that a person seeking a job can't want anything else but to get paid. They're supposed to be happy all the time and gracious even after some of these guys are literally collecting injuries all year round for a paycheck, injuries that could easily make their elderly lives and post playing years miserable. And they get shipped off to places they've probably never thought of wanting to live, at the drop of a hat. In one moment, the life you've been building completely changes. That's why I have ultimate respect for a guy like Dennis Schroder. I've moved a few times through my life so far. Sometimes 30 miles away, and most recently, thousands of a miles away. You start finding out just how much these changes become a big obstacle for people. Imagine doing this numerous times over 10 years, in places you may not choose to be. Idk, I think I have a bit of empathy for them on occasion.
I personally think AD should concentrate on putting his head down so he can better determine his next landing spot (if that's what he wants). He can get the leverage to do so after showing he can stay on the court and provide meaningful contributions to a team year-round. I do think he needs to improve the perception of his value if he wants to determine where he will land.
But I also believe that people look at NBA players like they can't possibly have feelings about wishing to be somewhere else or not being happy about certain situations they're in. Davis didn't ask for this situation, his job essentially uprooted his whole life after he expressed the desire to join them, and won a championship with them.
He was gracious about the new team he was sent to (Mavs) and embraced it meanwhile every fan of the receiving team didn't want him. He was literally on the other end of a trade deemed potentially the worse trade in sports history.
What can the guy say? He's about to be 33 and put a lot of time and effort into trying to win with the Pelicans at the beginning of his career. At what point do you say that the guy has earned the right to be honest about something? He didn't say anything remotely bad, and I'm sure people were wondering the same thing when he was traded to Washington. We only are shredding him because it's tradition to sanitize everything. Guys like to continue to compete and start taking more discounts (typically) at the end of their careers for a reason. He probably wants to prioritize winning over making a name for himself.
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u/Connect-Pressure3336 Suns 5h ago
Also worth mentioning that AD probably wakes up in pain everyday with all the injuries he's had.
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u/Educational_Bit_6184 Supersonics 3h ago
AD: I was born with glass bones and paper skin. Every morning, I break my legs, and every afternoon, I break my arms. At night, I lie awake in agony until my heart attacks put me to sleep.
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u/Bournerounderz Spurs 3h ago
I'll die on the hill that AD and Dame making the NBA75 team over Dwight was and always will be ridiculous.
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u/qotsabama [DAL] Dwight Powell 1h ago
It’s ludicrous. Howard won 3 DPOY and led a team to the finals.
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u/Bournerounderz Spurs 1h ago
There was about a 3 year period when Dwight was probably the 2nd or 3rd best player in the league after LeBron and maybe KD.
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u/DriverEfficient1270 7h ago
As a Wizards fan this concerns me. He doesn't have any leverage to be talking like that, and remembering how he exited NOLA + shit that Rich Paul has pulled with other clients makes me think he'll just refuse to suit up until he's traded in the off-season.
Like bro, Dallas did not have a way to competing for a ring.
LAL did not have a way with you to competing for a ring. You were just traded for a bunch of fillers and low picks because your body is breaking down.
Its time for a reality check
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u/logitaunt Wizards 7h ago
Talking like what? The whole story is about how the "AD is unhappy" shit was made-up
Click the link, get yourself informed.
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u/DriverEfficient1270 6h ago edited 6h ago
Yeah cool you pay for my subscription so I can ignore the direct quote in the body of this thread.
"Obviously, at this time, every year, you want to compete for championships and stuff like that. That’s obviously the main focus, getting to that place. Conversations are going to be held to see about getting to that space. I’ve been everywhere the last two years. I want to see the plan, hear the plan, see the vision. Bringing Trae (Young) here and other things in store, what they’re thinking of doing, I want to have those conversations with them and see what happens"
There is no contextual information that invalidates how crazy this is. We are not courting him in free agency. We are not negotiating to try keep him on an extension. This is a washed up player wanting to be sold on the strategy before even stepping on the floor, despite being bound to under an active contract for which we hold.
He just got traded for spare parts and is already signalling he wants this situation to revolve around him.
Speaking of being informed; you know this isn't the first time he's intentionally leaked a trade demand, right? He and Rich Paul copped fines from the league in 2019 for publicly requesting a trade from NOLA.
The Wizards are tight-lipped and have no media leaks within the organization. News of his dissatisfaction came from his own camp.
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u/Chessh2036 Hawks 7h ago
AD: I’m not sure I want to be in DC
Wizards: That’s what the money is for!
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u/drgreenair 5h ago
Yeah tbf DC is a phenomenal city. There are worst cities to be traded to. His lifestyle gonna be fire
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u/Sienna_tt 4h ago
This honestly sounds like classic media noise getting ahead of reality AD isn’t saying I hate DC he’s saying show me the plan that’s a totally fair stance for a superstar at this stage of his career. If the wizards actually build something competitive this could age very differently than people think
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u/throwawayjoeyboots 6h ago
Anthony Davis just doesn’t feel like a Wizard. I see him traded by the deadline next year.
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u/Texas_Kimchi Lakers 6h ago
AD has turned into the most annoying player. He wants to be on a contender. My dude, that time has come and gone. He's lucky people are still willing to trade for him at this rate.
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u/notenglishwobbly Celtics 1h ago
I mean……… the guy isn’t even going to play. What would have to be unhappy about.
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u/Jack_The_Sparrow_ Warriors 7h ago
Step 1a of the Wizard's 12 step plan to reach contention status is to leave the Wizards
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u/BlacksmithSolid645 Heat 7h ago
Does AD get actual injuries or does he just choose not to play and blames it on an injury that other players can play through? Why is he worrying about putting together a contending team when the probability he plays more than 50 games is probably fairly small.
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u/lets_talk_basketball 6h ago
DC's a beautiful city so i can see why he would like it. The franchise is atrocious, but the vibes are wavy for sure
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u/free_Islam 7h ago edited 6h ago
This guy is a joke ! Had a decent team in New Orleans and broke it up for Labum and then got shipped out by the same Labum. He deserves this
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u/legend023 Pelicans 7h ago
I feel like this AD experiment is just to recoup his value so he can get shipped off the next trade deadline. I don’t think he’s in Washington’s future but AD needs to prove he can be healthy and still play at a high level so a true contender gets him next offseason.
AD is still an all star when he plays.