After a breakout season with the Los Angeles Lakers, veteran forward/center Ed Davis intends to test NBA free agency this summer by opting out of his current deal with the team. Although Davis will hit the free agent market come July, the North Carolina product wants to return to Los Angeles.
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It is too early to tell whether Davis’ future will include wearing the purple and gold long-term. The team still has to go through the process of the NBA draft lottery on May 19 followed by the NBA draft on June 25 and the beginning of the free agency on July 1.
The Lakers could look much different once the dust settles leaving Davis’ immediate future up in the air. Despite the uncertainty moving forward, Davis will continue to improve his ability to be a force in the paint. Davis said the following about his off-season intentions, via Eric Pincus of the L.A. Times:
“I want to continue to get stronger. I don’t get on a scale and go like I want to weigh 250 or whatever. I can easily get up to 250 but then I won’t be able to move how I want to. I won’t be able to jump,” he said.
Davis used DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings as an example of a player he’d like to better matchup at the center position with next season, via Pincus:
“Sometimes I give up some weight going up against the bigger fives, the back-to-the-basket DeMarcus Cousins type guys,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter what position I’m at … my main thing is getting stronger, to hold my own against the fives.”
Clearly, Davis isn’t letting the uncertainty of the off-season distract him from getting back to work in the weight room. Davis already proved his worth over the course of the 2014-15 NBA season in terms of being able to hold his own in the paint and will be a valuable part of the frontcourt if re-signed.
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