The Los Angeles Lakers are “reluctant” to sign Anthony Davis to a contract extension, according to NBA insider Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports.
Davis is eligible for a three-year contract extension worth around $167 million starting in August.
“They entered the summer with AD on the back burner,” one Western Conference exec told Heavy Sports. “They would like to keep it there, keep that extension on the back burner. They do not need to do it right away. I’d say they’re reluctant and you can understand that at this point.”
Davis signed a five-year, $190 million contract with the Lakers in December 2020. The deal includes an early termination option in 2024 and will be fully up in 2025. Davis has the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group) as LeBron James, who signed a two-year extension with the Lakers last summer.
A future Hall of Famer, Davis averaged 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 blocks last season in 56 games while shooting 56.3% from the field, 25.7% from beyond the arc and 78.4% from the free-throw line. The Lakers made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals after starting the season 2-10.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Anthony Davis & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Davis finished the 2023 playoffs averaging 22.6 points, 14.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 3.1 blocks in 16 games versus the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets. The Lakers got swept by the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.
“We are definitely trending in the right direction,” Davis said after the Lakers’ season ended. “Like I said, we don’t know what the roster looks like next year, but I think the guys that came in in the second half of the season played well for us and also helped us into this situation.”
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Anthony Davis & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
The Lakers have been busy this summer, re-signing Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura and signing Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish, Taurean Prince and Jaxson Hayes. Los Angeles is expected to start Russell, Reaves, Hachimura, James and Davis next season.
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