The Golden State Warriors still appear like they need to trade for Anthony Davis in order to have a chance at landing his former championship teammate LeBron James in free agency.
The problem with that is the Washington Wizards have sent another stern warning that they're looking to add veteran players rather than lose them, having re-acquired Khris Middleton in a sign-and-trade on Tuesday.
Wizards send Warriors another Anthony Davis warning
The Wizards signed Middleton to a three-year, $17.6 million contract, bringing back the former Milwaukee Bucks star after he was ironically traded for Davis at February's mid-season deadline.
Reuniting with a 34-year-old Middleton is the latest sign that Washington wants to be competitive and even push for a Play-In Tournament spot next season, having now won 35 games or less in each of the past eight seasons.
The Wizards traded for Davis and Trae Young during the middle of last season, and recently got lucky with landing the number one overall pick which gives them AJ Dybansta as the headline of a talented young core.
Davis has yet to play a single game for Washington, yet question marks on his future still persist largely because of Golden State's apparent need to acquire the 10x All-Star to convince James to join him in the Bay Area.
ESPN's Shams Charania repeated that idea on Tuesday, essentially suggesting the Warriors have little to no chance of signing James unless a Davis trade takes place. The Wizards though have showed no intention on playing ball in this scenario, with their Middleton move only further solidifying their stance from the outside.
Warriors may have to wait till closer to August for Anthony Davis move
The positive for Golden State and their point of leverage in this scenario is that Davis is extension-eligible on August 6. That date will provide a stronger indication of where Washington actually see the 33-year-old in their long-term plans, while Davis himself could exert some pressure if he chooses not to sign a new deal.
Will the Warriors be willing to wait until then? Perhaps more importantly, is James willing to remain unsigned and have his future be the talk of the NBA world until next month? The same question can also be asked of Draymond Green who, like James and Davis, are represented by Rich Paul and Klutch Sports.
The Warriors are playing the patience game with James and his free agency right now, but this may prove more about having patience with the Wizards to see if they'll eventually become more open to trading Davis as the offseason progresses.
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