Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss told NBA writer Mark Medina of Sportskeeda that she and general manager Rob Pelinka want to “keep continuity with our team” when the subject of Anthony Davis and his contract extension came up. Davis is eligible for a three-year extension worth around $167 million in August.
“Rob said it best. Our intention is that we want to keep continuity with our team,” Buss said. “I’ll leave it at that.”
NBA insider Dave McMenamin, who covers the Lakers for ESPN, thinks Davis will get an extension before the 2023-24 season starts. Davis and LeBron James have the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group. LeBron signed a two-year extension with the Lakers last summer.
“Where things stand right now, I expect some sort of an agreement to be reached,” McMenamin said on Zach Lowe’s podcast. “A lot of it is one, recognizing that Anthony Davis as a trade chip, there’s no way to replicate the value of what he brings to the court combined with LeBron James when he’s healthy, you just won’t. It’s absolutely impossible.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Anthony Davis, Jeanie Buss & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
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.
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.
“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.
“Obviously, the goal is to win championships, and we wanted to be not just knocking on the door but actually get it done, walk through the door. So that’s our goal. That’s our goal every time we step on the floor for training camp, and I’m a hundred percent sure that will be the goal next year.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Anthony Davis, Jeanie Buss & 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.
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