There was a time when the Boston Celtics dreamed about acquiring Anthony Davis. The vision was to pair him with Kyrie Irving. There were even thoughts of a new "Big 3" with Kevin Durant also joining them. Davis would give them a skilled power forward who could help lead the franchise to a championship, just as Kevin Garnett did. A trio like that could be responsible for multiple parades down Boylston Street.
Instead, Davis steered his way to Los Angeles. Teaming with LeBron James, he delivered the title that the Celtics once fantasized he would bring them.
Now, it's unclear whether the 10-time All-Star is about to be on the move again. Maybe the Washington Wizards will keep him to team with whoever they select with the first overall pick in this year's NBA Draft. However, it's far from being a scenario they won't even entertain. And after suffering a first-round exit, squandering a 3-1 series lead for the first time in franchise history, Boston must ask whether this is the move it wants to define its offseason.
Should the Celtics trade for Anthony Davis?
Brad Stevens said at his end-of-season press conference that the Celtics need to have a greater impact at the rim. He also stated that they need to add to their roster to accomplish that.
In the 2023-24 campaign, Davis delivered the third-most dunks in the league, per screwball.com. He could also turn Boston, who yielded the fewest points per game during the 2025-26 regular season, into a defensive juggernaut.
If only it were this cut-and-dry. If the Celtics had a path to acquiring a five-time All-NBA selection and the price was worth paying, then the answer would be yes. From this vantage point, the answer is no in this instance.
Entering his 15th season, the 33-year-old former first overall draft pick is on the books for $58.5 million. He has a $62.8 million player option for 2027-28. That is an exorbitant amount of money for Boston to add to its books.
Furthermore, to get him in green, it would cost Derrick White and Sam Hauser, just to help make the math work. And if the Wizards are trading Davis, this package figures to require the inclusion of the 27th overall selection in this year's NBA Draft. Even if it doesn't, there are better ways for the Celtics to build their roster.
The other significant argument against going this route is the durability concerns surrounding the former Kentucky star. It's one thing to assume those risks with Giannis Antetokounmpo. It's another to do so for Davis. The latter appeared in just 20 games this season. He suited up in 51 the year before. And while he did log 76 in 2023-24, the year he produced the third-most dunks, that looks like an outlier compared to the prior campaigns. From 2020-21 to 2022-23, he never played in more than 56 contests. He was only active for 40 once.
So, while theoretically, Davis could elevate the Celtics at both ends of the floor, the reality is that he's not worth the acquisition cost or the gamble on his ability to remain in the lineup.
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