If there was any glimmer of hope that Anthony Davis could return to the Los Angeles Lakers, it looks to have faded completely.
The Lakers were linked to many names this offseason, some strong targets and others through pure speculation. While Davis hasn’t exactly come up as a Lakers trade target, he gets brought up in Lakers trade rumors here and there. Davis, who is now with the Washington Wizards, is once again rumored to be on the move after it was reported that Davis and the Wizards don’t plan to negotiate a contract extension this offseason.
Lake Show Life’s Svystoslav Rovenchuk believes Davis’ lucrative deal is a big complication to any movement right now, much less to L.A.
“Either Davis opts out of his final year with the confidence of knowing a new max deal is coming his way, or the 2020 NBA champ picks up that $62.8 million player option to give himself one more chance at getting big money again. Neither scenario sets up a move back to Los Angeles,” Rovenchuk wrote.
Davis, who was traded to the Wizards last season, has yet to play a single game for the franchise. With training camp approaching, Davis’ future in the Nation’s Capital remains in some doubt.
The Ship has Sailed On an Anthony Davis-Lakers Reunion
The Lakers traded Davis for Luka Doncic in February 2025, and from that period to now, it has been opposite fortunes. The Lakers are now Doncic’s team; Davis, meanwhile, may not even be 100 percent certain that he’ll continue with the Wizards this upcoming season.
There is reportedly a holdup on an extension for Davis in Washington, which is what briefly revived the comeback-to-L.A. chatter. This very large or almost impossible hurdle would be taking on Davis’ deal.
“If Davis proves himself as a max player, that puts him out of the Lakers’ price range,” Rovenchuk added. “Los Angeles should have the nontaxpayer midlevel exception and the biannual exception next offseason. Neither of those two get AD on a flight to Hollywood.”
Davis is still a superstar-caliber star when on the floor. It doesn’t matter if it is with L.A. or a non-contending Wizards franchise. The Wizards are probably banking on seeing him in their uniform before committing to an extension for the veteran center.
The Way Forward for Davis
The injury history is there, but Davis’ contract is just not doable at the moment for the Lakers. In addition to the money for Doncic and the newly acquired Walker Kessler, there is also an extension in place for Austin Reaves.
It is not feasible for the Lakers to move for significant trade options instead of the free agency market or trading for players with team-friendly deals.
“Should Davis opt to pick up that player option, how would the Lakers even work toward matching his salary in a potential trade? There should be no consideration given to the idea of gutting the roster for an aging former superstar who has struggled with injuries. The price is just not worth it,” Rovenchuk wrote
For fit, it doesn’t seem logical that the Lakers need Davis in their current roster. They added a new starting center in Kessler and while they have different identities, the younger star is now L.A.’s new prized big man.
The roster has been almost entirely overhauled, and adding Davis would be taking an odd step back.
In another world, if injuries weren’t an issue and he were on a medium-level contract, Davis and the Lakers could have benefited from a reunion.
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