Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers have a “strong interest” in signing eight-time All-Star Anthony Davis to a contract extension and could get it done before the start of training camp, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday.
Despite Davis’ lack of durability during his four-year tenure with the Lakers, the team stands ready to make a three-year offer, the Times reported. Davis and the Lakers can begin talking about an extension on Friday.
Davis, 30, signed a five-year, $189.9 million contract with the Lakers ahead of the 2020-21 season. He is owed $40.6 million for the upcoming season and has a player option of $43.2 million for 2024-25.
Signing Davis to an extension now would give the Lakers one star to build around, given the probability that 38-year-old LeBron James doesn’t have a long future with the team.
Davis could earn an additional $170 million with a max contract extension.
Davis, a forward/center, was the No. 1 overall pick by the New Orleans franchise in the 2012 NBA Draft.
In 660 career games (653 starts) with New Orleans (2012-19) and the Lakers, Davis has averages of 24.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Last season, he averaged 25.9 points and a career-high 12.5 rebounds per game in 56 games (54 starts).
He never has played a full season with the Lakers, slowed by a variety of injuries. The 62 games played in 2019-20 are his Los Angeles high.
Davis is a four-time All-NBA and two-time All-Defensive selection.
–Field Level Media