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The proposed trade would send Anthony Davis to the Chicago Bulls

Washington Wizards center Anthony Davis has completed yet another injury-plagued season, appearing in just 20 games and none of them were for the Wizards. 

After making the deadline move from the Dallas Mavericks, the 33-year-old has been unable to play as he recovers from a left-hand injury.

This, of course, has raised questions about his durability in the long term and his value as one of the NBA’s premier bigs. This has been the same question that has surrounded him for most of his career since he left the New Orleans Pelicans. It didn’t fade for the Los Angeles Lakers and certainly not for the Mavericks. 

Anthony Davis Suffered a Strange Injury 

Davis has not played above 60 games once in the last six seasons, as he has dealt with numerous nagging injuries. The latest one however, didn’t give off the impression that he would be out so long. 

However, the center revealed in an interview that doctors described the damage in unusually stark terms, signaling potential risks as he eyes a return for the 2026-27 campaign.

“It was a tough injury,” Davis said. “I’ve talked to the doctors and it’s a patience thing because we use our hands for basketball, obviously, and I don’t want to re-injure this hand. It was a complicated injury. The doctor actually told me that now that I am healing and getting to a place where he’s comfortable for me to get back to the floor … he was nervous because he’s never seen anything like that.”

Davis injured his hand in early January as he suffered ligament damage, including to the volar plate tissue in his left hand. Surgery was suggested to him by medical experts but he opted for conservative treatment in hopes of moving up his return timeline. 

Despite progress that included clearance for light contact by early April, the Wizards ultimately shut him down for the remainder of the 2025-26 season to ensure full recovery ahead of next year.

Davis’ injury record is well documented and has hampered what should have been regular All-NBA and MVP-worthy seasons. Time and again, he has shown flashes and averages elite production in points, rebounds, and blocks when healthy — only to be sidelined by issues ranging from foot problems and knee strains to shoulder and now this hand complications.

Starting Afresh in Washington 

Davis will now feel like an offseason addition for the Wizards, who finished this season with the worst record in the league. They aren’t the best of teams to join when considering winning, however, Davis doesn’t want to focus on negatives.

“From the outside looking in, it can look a little different and maybe not quite what people expect, especially players,” he said of the Wizards. “But when you get there, you realize that it’s actually a great organization.”

Washington acquired Davis along with Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum from Dallas in a multi-team deal. In return, the franchise gave up a lot of assets including a 2026 first-round pick via the Oklahoma City Thunder and a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick via the Golden State Warriors.

The Wizards also added Trae Young together with Davis. The big idea is that having both players healthy for next season will be key to their plans for staying relevant in the East.