The Los Angeles Lakers’ latest roster move wasn’t one to bring in a new player, but rather to lock down one of their stars for years to come. Superstar big man Anthony Davis agreed to a three-year, $186 million contract extension that will keep him in a Lakers uniform through 2028 and has given him the highest annual average salary in NBA history.
From the beginning of the offseason, Rob Pelinka has preached continuity for this franchise and he and the front office have come through with their moves and that includes this one. While Davis has his obvious injury concerns, he has come through for the Lakers, including this past season when he was arguably the biggest reason for the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals.
Davis did have an early termination option in his contract that would have allowed him to hit free agency next summer, but Pelinka made it clear that Davis’ desire was to remain with, and lead the Lakers for the foreseeable future.
“In our conversations with Anthony, his desire to lead our franchise for the next several years became abundantly clear,” Pelinka said. “AD understands that his commitment to being the hardest worker, combined with his high character, is what will help define our culture for many seasons to come. It is a proud day for Lakers Nation when we’re able to extend the contract of one of the game’s most dominant two-way players.”
Being a real leader for this franchise is something Davis has worked on over the past few seasons. With LeBron James on the roster it can be hard to truly showcase that, but is something many people commented on as where Davis stepped up last season.
While Davis still missed some time last season, he really came through when it mattered down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs. The Lakers were carried by their defense and Davis was the catalyst for that, controlling the paint during the playoff run and suffocating the opposition on their way to the NBA Finals.
There were some who wondered if Davis might look to leave the franchise once LeBron retires, but Davis has shown that he plans on remaining with this franchise for a long time and leading the Lakers into the next era as well.
L.A. hopeful Jaxson Hayes plays prominent role next to Anthony Davis
The Lakers have worked this offseason to placate Davis as well, most notably his desire to not play center full-time. The team brought in center Jaxson Hayes to help ease the workload on Davis and the hope is that he plays a huge role this season.
The Lakers reportedly are hopeful that Hayes plays a ‘prominent role’ next to Davis and starts at the center position, providing size and athleticism to the starting lineup.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
