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Brian Windhorst: The league is especially watching Anthony Davis, who is saying all the right things for now, and put up 34 points and 12 rebounds in the Wizards' season-opening win over the Bucks. "I know the fans are tired of hearing about the aprons, but this is just another example of how they are changing the league," another West GM said. "The aprons give the owners a reason to take a harder line. Before, it was just about money."
Josh Robbins: Pistons center Jalen Duren will not play tonight in Washington, coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.
P.J. Washington Jr. was the hero of the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals. Since then, he has faced hardship, both on and off the court. But Washington has found peace playing for his hometown team — and getting tattoos. Washington was put under anesthesia three times over the summer as Ganga, a tattoo artist, and another artist made some of his biggest memories in Dallas permanent on his body. The 6-foot-8 forward had his entire back tattooed and finished his leg pieces. “It was a quick process,” Washington said. “I went in, got the sketches done, they put me to sleep, and I woke up and now we’re here. So I mean it’s the easiest way to get tattoos.”
The Knicks were a popular road draw during their title run, and it looks like that will continue in 2026-27. Games at Philly, Miami, Boston and Washington are popular on StubHub, which said 25 percent of Knicks road-game purchasers are based in New York, New Jersey or Connecticut. That’s up from 21 percent last season.
Ben Strober: News: The Washington Wizards have re-signed F Anthony Gill, the team announced. The longest-tenured Wizard remains in Washington.
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League sources tell The Stein Line that Washington made a two-year offer to bring Russell Westbrook back to the nation's capital. Sources say Westbrook — not the team — is the party that ended those talks. The 37-year-old apparently balked at the specific terms of the offer and/or the role presented and has decided to stop playing instead.
Given the view you have as Trae’s agent, how did Trae’s extension with the Wizards come to be? Aaron Mintz: “He made it known at the time of the trade that this was his preferred destination. He is with Travis Schlenk, who drafted him [in Atlanta in 2018]. With Michael Winger, Will Dawkins, Coach Keefe, and David Vanterpool, there are so many people who come from Oklahoma City and were with Oklahoma when Trae was growing up in Norman. So there is a ton of familiarity with people there. I think there was also real intrigue with Washington D.C. It is a huge basketball community that has an extremely passionate fanbase. There is an excitement in being part of a sleeping giant in that market and being a part of something special with the young talent that is already there.
Given the view you have as Trae’s agent, how did Trae Young’s extension with the Wizards come to be? Aaron: Mintz: “He made it known at the time of the trade that this was his preferred destination. He is with Travis Schlenk, who drafted him [in Atlanta in 2018]. With Michael Winger, Will Dawkins, Coach Keefe and David Vanterpool, there are so many people that come from Oklahoma City and were with Oklahoma when Trae was growing up in Norman. So there is a ton of familiarity with people there. I think there was also real intrigue with Washington D.C. It is a huge basketball community that has an extremely passionate fanbase. There is an excitement in being part of a sleeping giant in that market and being a part of something special with the young talent that is already there.
Connie and Steve Ballmer today announced that they are launching three independent, locally led philanthropies in Southeast Michigan, Los Angeles County, and Washington State. The organizations, called MoveUp Southeast Michigan, MoveUp LA, and MoveUp Washington, will operate independently from Ballmer Group and will be funded by the Ballmers to support their ongoing work, continuing a shared mission: improving economic mobility for kids and families. Ballmer Group team members currently working in each region will transition to the new organizations over the next year. The shift reflects a deliberate move toward community-based philanthropies grounded in deep local connection with teams embedded in the regions they serve.
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League sources tell The Stein Line that Washington has a level interest in Russell Westbrook. The nine-time former All-Star's final season of the four in his career in which he averaged a triple-double (22.2 PPG, 11.5 RPG and 11.7 APG) came in 2020-21 with the Wizards.
Because the Wizards hold Young’s Bird rights, the Wizards had the latitude to offer Young up to a five-year contract with 8 percent annual raises. But Young’s new four-year deal instead features 5 percent year-over-year raises, the maximum year-over-year raise that any other team could have offered Young as a non-Bird free agent. For Washington, the difference between signing Young to 5 percent raises instead of 8 percent raises will amount to a total savings of $8.9 million over four years.
One potential target if Dallas were to trade down: Washington big man Hannes Steinbach. Sources say that Steinbach, whose father Burkhard played alongside Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki on the German League team in their shared hometown of Wurzburg some 30 years ago, is among the prospects to have worked out for the Mavericks under consideration for the No. 9 pick.