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All-NBA forward Anthony Davis is finalizing a five-year contract, worth up to $ 190 million, to stay with defending Los Angeles Lakers champion, said Rich Paul, CEO of Klutch Sports, at ESPN.
The deal includes an early termination option before the fifth year of the deal in 2024-25, Paul said.
Davis, a free agent, is expected to sign the contract on Thursday. He considered several short-term and long-term contract scenarios before accepting a maximum five-year offer, sources say.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Davis would earn $ 32,742,000 this season, $ 35,361,360 in 2021-22, $ 37,980,720 in 2022-23, $ 40,600,080 in 2023-24 and $ 43,219,440 in the fifth year of the ‘agreement.
At 27, Davis is the Lakers co-star with LeBron James – and the centerpiece of the franchise’s long-term future. Davis’s arrival in a trade with New Orleans to join James has elevated the Lakers over six straight seasons in the draft lottery and propelled them to a possible 2019-20 NBA Championship.
For Davis, the new deal completes a journey that began in February 2019 when Paul asked the Pelicans for Davis to be traded. The successful deal with LA was executed in June 2019; after seven seasons with the Pelicans, Davis was traded to the Lakers for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and several first-round picks and pick trades.
The Davis deal comes in the wake of James extending his two-year deal until 2023-24.
James and Davis had no problem getting together to form a partnership with the Lakers. Davis averages 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 50% from the ground, 33% from 3 points and a career record 84.6% from the free throw line.
“We don’t see this as a window of one or two years at all,” said Rob Pelinka, vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the Lakers recently. “We want to stay competitive for the long term and make decisions that allow us to do just that and not just shoot all our balls to try to defend for a year. We want to be able to be a sustainable competitor.”
Prior to winning his first title, Davis was selected for the seventh time as a Western Conference All-Star. He won the match on two foul shots created on a pass from James. Davis finished second for Defensive Player of the Year by voting against Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Davis improved his playoff performance, averaging 27.7 points – on 57% shooting from the floor and 38% from the 3-point line – with 9.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1, 4 blocks and 1.2 interceptions. Davis began to engrave himself in the tradition of the great men of the Lakers, a tradition that has included George Mikan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal and Pau Gasol.
Although he’s never finished better than third in the MVP vote of his career, Davis’s 27.2 point averages and 11.1 rebounds over the past four seasons put him in the company of the MVPs. Only Antetokounmpo and Russell Westbrook – the winners of three of the last four MVPs – have averaged over 25 points and over 10 rebounds during this time, according to data compiled by ESPN Stats & Info.
As devastating as Davis was offensively, he has proven to be a spectacular defender. Opponents shot 38% last season with Davis as the closest defender, according to ESPN Stats & Information. Of the 167 players to defend at least 500 shots last season, only Antetokounmpo allowed a lower percentage.
ESPN NBA reporter Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.
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