If there was any doubt that Anthony Davis would remain with the Los Angeles Lakers after next season, that was officially put to rest when the two sides agreed to a massive contract extension that will keep him in LA for many more years.
Despite the knocks against Anthony Davis and his problems with staying on the court for extended amounts of time, the 30-year-old has proven his immense value by helping the franchise win another championship in 2020 and being hugely influential in their surprise run to the Western Conference Finals this spring.
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Well, on Friday the Los Angeles Lakers rewarded their big man with a historic contract extension that will keep him in purple and gold for five more years. ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report that “Lakers star Anthony Davis has agreed on a three-year $186 million max extension, tying him to franchise thru 2028 for a total of $270M-plus.”
The insider also added that the new long-term pact is the richest annual extension in NBA history at $62 million.
Los Angeles Lakers maintain competitive status through 2028
Davis’ contract with the Lakers was only guaranteed for this upcoming season and then included a player option for 2024-2025. Considering the fact that superstar teammate Lebron James is not far from calling it a career, eventually losing him and then Davis in free agency after next season could have set the franchise back for a decade.
- Anthony Davis stats (’22-’23): 25.9 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.1 SPG
However, by locking Davis up for the next five years it at least gives them an All-Star caliber anchor to build around or with when the NBA icon decides to hang it up in the next few years. Like the New York Yankees, the standard is always high in Los Angeles, and staying competitive is a necessity.
Assuming he can stay healthy for most of the next five years, the eight-time All-Star should help LA remain a competent team in the years ahead.