Anthony Davis‘ future with the Wizards has been a subject of speculation since Washington acquired him in a three-team trade in February, with the star big man admitting after that deal that he had questions about the team’s path to contention.
Addressing Davis’ future this week in a conversation with JP Finlay of NBC Sports (Twitter video link), Monumental Basketball president Michael Winger provided a reason for optimism for Wizards fans.
“My conversations with AD are delightful. He’s a pro’s pro. He understands who he is in this league, he understands the direction of this league, he understands what we’re trying to do organizationally,” Winger said. “He’s communicated to me a strong interest in being part of what we’re building… He, like the rest of us, wants to be on a really good basketball team and compete for something big. That’s our aim, that’s what we want to do, and I’m delighted that Anthony’s here for that.”
The Wizards have struggled to find their direction for several years, but with Davis, Trae Young, the No. 1 pick, and a roster full of intriguing young talent, they could find themselves trending in the right direction quickly if all goes right.
We have more news from around the Southeast Division:
- The Bucks and Heat remain in something of a standoff when it comes to the asking price for Giannis Antetokounmpo, prompting the question of who will blink first, Anthony Chiang writes for the Miami Herald. The Heat must consider which players and draft picks could conceivably be held back in their final, best offer, as they don’t want to end up with a roster bereft of talent outside of Bam Adebayo and Antetokounmpo. They also have to decide if they’d be willing to take back some of the contracts the Bucks might want to move, such as Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, or Myles Turner. That could be difficult, given Miami’s post-trade cap outlook.
- While not viewed as a potential favorite to pull off a trade for Antetokounmpo, the Magic have repeatedly been linked to the Bucks’ star forward. That’s partly due to his existing relationship with newly hired head coach Sean Sweeney, but team president Jeff Weltman believes there’s more to it than that, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “Obviously I won’t comment on any discussions we’re having with teams or where our agendas are,” Weltman said. “I know a lot’s been written about that. But I think, like, you can’t get into that conversation without talent, you know? So, to me, I take that as a compliment and I know we have a lot of work to do, but we have a lot of belief in our team.” Weltman added that he’s aware the current roster still has holes to address and he’s doing his due diligence to figure out the best way to do that.
- Liam McNeeley didn’t get a ton of playing time with the Hornets in his rookie season, but he got in-game reps with the G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, and he’s ready to get to work this offseason, Roderick Boone writes for the Charlotte Observer. “I’m not going anywhere,” McNeely said of his summer plans. “I’m getting in the gym.” When asked what he intended to work on, the 20-year-old forward outlined a specific plan. “The main thing I want to do is come back a lot stronger,” McNeeley said. “I’m going to be in the weight room a lot, get my strength up. A lot of that is just getting older and maturing physically. I’m going to do everything I can to become stronger and just have a killer mindset.”
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