Anthony Davis Gets Three-Year Extension
Anthony Davis is entering his fifth season with the Los Angeles Lakers since being traded by the New Orleans Pelicans. Across four seasons with the Lakers, AD helped the team make the playoffs three of the four years- including a championship-winning playoff run in 2020.
Last season, he averaged 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, two blocks, 1.1 steals, and a career-high 56.3% field goal shooting in 56 regular-season contests. Assisted by trades last February and with AD and LeBron James healthy during the final stretch, the Lakers took a leap from 13th in the Western Conference to seventh entering the play-in tournament.
The Purple and Gold survived a close play-in game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and beat Ja Morant’s Memphis Grizzlies in the first round. In the Western Conference semifinals, the Lakers dethroned the Golden State Warriors in six games. Unfortunately, LA had no answer against Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, who won the Western Conference championship via a clean sweep.
Throughout the 2023 playoffs, AD averaged 22.6 points, 14.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 3.1 blocks, and 1.4 steals, on 52% field goal shooting. Considering the fact that almost everybody counted the Lakers out of the playoff picture after a dismal 2-10 start last season, it was a miraculous turnaround.
AD Re-Ups For 3 Years
Anthony Davis is now entering the fourth season of a five-year $189M contract with the Lakers. He also has an early termination option next year which is why the Lakers front office felt the need to secure their future by inking the dominant big man to a multi-year extension.
As it happens, the 30-year-old power forward out of Kentucky was eligible to sign a three-year extension worth $186M. And according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the 17-time world champions were never truly considering letting Davis walk.
“I do think there is an expectation the Lakers do make some sort of offer this week,” said Windhorst. On Friday, the Lakers and Anthony Davis agreed to a new three-year pact which marks the richest annual extension in NBA history at $62M.
Here’s the tricky part: LeBron James’ current contract runs until 2025 as well. He also has a player option for the 2024-2025 season and owns a guaranteed amount of $53.3M. Plus, the Lakers also signed Rui Hachimura to a three-year deal worth $51M and Austin Reaves to a $58.8M contract during the early goings of the 2023 free agency. With the new CBA tax apron regulations coming into effect, LA could soon be feeling a financial crunch out west.
One thing is for sure: if Anthony Davis remains healthy next season, and that’s a big if given his track record, the Lakers should be able to contend in the West anew. With Anthony Davis tied to the Lakers until 2028, Los Angeles can focus on the upcoming season with a roster led by the dynamic duo of LeBron and AD and assisted by the likes of Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and D’Angelo Russell.
-Iggy Gonzales
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.