Anthony Davis “made it clear” to the Los Angeles Lakers that he wants to play fewer minutes at center next season, according to NBA insider Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The Lakers signed Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes this offseason, so there are more lineup possibilities to allow Davis to play power forward.
Davis has career averages of 24.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.3 blocks with the New Orleans Pelicans and Lakers. He has led the NBA in blocks per game three times and has made four All-Defensive Teams.
Davis is one of the best players in the NBA. The only thing preventing him from competing for the MVP Award is his body, as Davis hasn’t been able to stay healthy since helping the Lakers win the 2020 championship. The eight-time All-Star has suffered multiple lower-body injuries.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Davis signed a three-year, $186 million extension with the Lakers this offseason. The Chicago native is committed to Los Angeles for five more years and approximately $270.5 million. Davis’ extension, which kicks in for the 2025-26 season, is the richest extension in NBA history with a projected average annual value of $62 million.
Davis signed a five-year, $190 million contract with the Lakers in December 2020. That deal included 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, $99 million extension with the Lakers last summer.
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 & RUMORS: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers Updates
The 30-year-old 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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