In his first full season in Los Angeles, Anthony Davis accomplished exactly what he set out to do and helped lead the Lakers to a championship. In the process, he added an undeniable sense of credibility to an already stellar career and laid the groundwork for success alongside LeBron for the next few years.
So it makes little sense to read anything into the fact that he’s being meticulous about his new contract with the team. Davis isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, despite opting out of his current deal and technically entering free agency. The Lakers know he’s planning on re-signing. The question now is for how much and how long.
According to the latest reports, Davis doesn’t feel the need to rush anything, despite the free agency moratorium officially opening at 6 p.m. ET on Friday. No, Davis will apparently take his time to consider both his immediate future with the team and a framework for whatever might come after.
Via Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
Klutch Sports CEO and Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, will be in contact with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka after 6 p.m. Friday, sources said, but Davis plans to wait minimally through Thanksgiving as he considers his options on the length and structure of maximum contract deals.
Davis, 27, has several possible scenarios on a new deal with the Lakers, including a three-year, $106 million deal that would include a player option on the 2022-23 season — a structure that would align Davis with the end of LeBron James’ deal.
Davis could do a two-year, $68 million deal with an option after next year — or longer deals for four years ($146.7M) and five years ($189M).
It’s unclear exactly which way Davis is leaning, whether he’d like to stay in L.A. long-term or to keep his options open and see exactly where LeBron is physically after next year — although if their championship run in Orlando is any indication, he’s shown little sign of slowing down despite his age after winning his fourth Finals MVP.
Still, a lot could change between now and then, and LeBron himself opted for shorter-term deals during his last stint in Cleveland, which ultimately opened the door for his signing with the Lakers. Regardless, fans in L.A. don’t seem to have anything to worry about with Davis.
(Via ESPN)
