It’s been a quiet few weeks for the Washington Wizards after a seismic June and July saw them select AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 pick, complete a promising Las Vegas Summer League and acquire several depth pieces.
August projects as less exciting. But that doesn’t mean it’s a month without importance.
Advertisement
Below is a rundown of key dates to watch as the 2026-27 campaign approaches.
August 6: Anthony Davis becomes extension eligible
Six months after acquiring Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks, the Wizards face a significant decision: Should they sign the oft-injured forward a lucrative contract extension when he becomes eligible on Aug. 6?
In two days, Davis can sign a four-year, $285 million maximum extension that would pay him $76 million during his age-37 season.
Skeptics strongly oppose offering a max extension to a player who’s played just 71 combined games over the last two seasons and has appeared in more than 56 games in a season only once since the 2018-19 campaign.
Advertisement
These concerns were magnified after the Wizards gave Trae Young a four-year, $212 million extension after his recent injury-filled season and despite a league-wide belief that they could’ve retained him for less. If the Wizards give Davis a max extension, they would have $555 million in guaranteed money owed to Young and Davis through the 2030-31 season.
Similar durability questions existed when Washington acquired Davis at the trade deadline. But Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said the team acquired the 10-time All-Star to “be a Wizard.”
“Anthony Davis wants to be here. We want him here,” Dawkins said after Round 1 of the 2026 NBA Draft in late June. “We’ll have that [extension] conversation in the middle of August when we can officially have that.”
Dawkins highlighted how Davis complements Alex Sarr, the team’s 21-year-old center who blossomed as a sophomore. He felt Sarr, who last season defended an NBA-best 9.7 shots at the rim per game, needed a defensive partner to share some of that burden.
Advertisement
Enter Davis, who is a game-changer when healthy. His rim protection and interior defense were unmatched during his peak years, as represented by his five NBA All-Defense selections and three blocks titles.
Given Davis’s injury history entering his age-33 season, searching for a max extension makes sense.
The issue for his camp, as it was when rumors of the Golden State Warriors’ interest in him emerged, is that the Wizards are in no rush to extend or trade him. There’s no mounting pressure or approaching deadline that will force Washington’s hand.
Davis is still owed more than $120 million over the next two seasons, including a $62.8 million player option for the 2027-28 campaign. It appears the Wizards prefer to watch Davis play with this group before making any consequential decisions regarding his future.
Advertisement
Committing another $285 million to an injury-prone forward before he plays a game for Washington fits into that category, which makes this storyline one to watch.
Filling the final roster spot
After selecting AJ Dybantsa and trading for Khris Middleton and Deandre Ayton, Washington’s reshaped roster sits at 14 standard contracts:
Guard: Young | Johnson | Carrington
Wing: Dybantsa | George | Coulibaly | Riley
Forward: Davis | Champagnie | Middleton | Whitmore
Center: Sarr | Ayton | Vukcevic
Two-way: Watkins (torn ACL) | Reese | Okpara
Reports have indicated the Wizards’ interest in adding point guard depth. Jake Fischer reported Washington’s interest in veteran guards Russell Westbrook and Gabe Vincent, both of whom remain free agents.
Advertisement
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported last week that Washington held talks with DeMar DeRozan, who’s also drawn interest from the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Anthony Gill, who’s spent the last six seasons with Washington, remains unsigned. The 33-year-old forward is well-liked in the Wizards’ organization and is a candidate for that 15th roster spot.
Gill re-signed with the Wizards on Aug. 7 last offseason. While it’s possible he again re-ups in Washington, sources tell Bullets Forever that Gill has drawn significant overseas interest.
Schedule Release
The NBA is expected to release the 2026-27 schedule some time in mid-August. For reference, the 2025-26 schedule was released on Aug. 14.
The Wizards are expected to earn more national TV games thanks to Dybantsa, the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, plus the arrival of Young and Davis in the Nation’s Capital.
Read the full article here