After ending the year with the worst record in the NBA, the Washington Wizards are preparing for an extreme turnaround. They had their stars – Trae Young and Anthony Davis in the vault. With names as accomplished as that tandem, the Wizards have the ability to turn a new leaf. But does AD have the time to stay and let the young team simmer first?

His former teammate, Dwight Howard, doesn’t think that’s the case. In a recent podcast appearance, Howard spoke about time being the most important thing for the 33-year-old Anthony Davis. And he doesn’t feel it will offer him the luxury of being with the Wizards going forward.

“No,” Howard said when asked whether Davis would stay in Washington. “I want to be optimistic and say yes, but I just think he’s like ‘Man, what am I doing here?’. Got all these young guys, I’ve played in all these different places. I want to win now… But each organization is different, and you know he’s getting older in his career, and at this point, it’s like, man, I don’t want to waste time anymore. Time is the most valuable thing, especially as you get older in this league,” said Dwight Howard.

Anthony Davis agrees to the difficulty of turning things around within a year. “I’ve been on losing teams, and it’s very hard to be a losing team and then a championship contender,” he said during his press conference. The Wizards have literally been at the bottom of the barrel. But despite their circumstances, AD did hint at trusting the team’s foundation.

“I know we have a lot of young guys, but like I said, I mentioned it about the young guys — how talented they are. Adding Trae and myself kind of can help change that,” AD added.

It’s a talented group, with Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George really standing out this season. They also have a former No. 1 pick in Alex Sarr, who has become a renowned shot-blocker. If they can get the best of Anthony Davis and Trae Young, the Wizards could be formidable. It’s also important to consider that they will have a lottery this season in a draft that looks promising. So it really depends entirely on how optimistic Davis is about the team.

At 33, time is against him. There isn’t a year to waste. Yet, if AD feels he could enjoy his game and help the Wizards rise from their ruins, it might be worth it. At the very least, he is open to running the experiment.

Anthony Davis promises one year to the Wizards

Howard isn’t wrong to suggest winning is hard in Washington. At 33, and with a championship under his belt, Davis has the thirst to compete. The veteran forward even met with the Wizards’ top brass to discuss the organization’s direction. Going to a better-prepared team is always an open option. However, Anthony Davis wants to experiment with the Wizards’ core before that happens.

“Yeah, I’m under contract. I love my money,” the ten-time All-Star jokingly said when asked about playing for the Wizards.

The ask is huge. Davis, along with Trae Young are looked at as the combination to not only unlock the Wizards’ potential, but also lead them to contention. One commonality between all three of them? Each of them has been counted out. AD was shipped from the Mavericks project, Young lost the trust of the Hawks fanbase, and the Wizards have been irrelevant for ages.

That’s what makes this team a perfect platform to make a statement. Don’t think just because it’s the Wizards, they can’t succeed next season. If health is on their side, Anthony Davis is still a formidable two-way force. He could form a lethal frontcourt combo with Alex Sarr. And Young is the seasoned general who led the league in assists per game last season.

Judging from words alone, Anthony Davis is committed to working hard in his time with the Wizards. After all, a consistent season gives him a great chance at landing a four-year $275 million extension. And the Wizards are among the few teams with the cap space to accommodate the former Mavericks forward.

With his health concerns, AD, even with all the accolades behind him, has a point to prove. His story isn’t finished. What better way to show that than to play a hand in reviving a dormant franchise and making it successful again?