The Los Angeles Lakers are keeping their top big man in the City of Angels. Anthony Davis put pen to paper Friday, signing a three-year, $186 million extension. Davis remains with the purple and gold until 2028.
BREAKING: Lakers star Anthony Davis has agreed on a three-year $186M max extension, tying him to franchise thru 2028 for total of $270M-plus, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. Davis lands richest annual extension in NBA history at $62M. pic.twitter.com/bf9kWgD7uz
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 4, 2023
Anthony Davis Signs Three-Year, $186M Extension with the Lakers
Background
Davis’s new deal comes on the heels of a dominant season. The 6-foot-10 center played 56 games and averaged 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and two blocks per contest–all on 56/25/78 shooting splits. Though health remains a concern—and rightfully so, since he hasn’t had a 70-game season since 2017-18—Davis still proved that he can will a team into the postseason. Some of his best performances included a 55-point, 17-rebound outing against the Washington Wizards on Dec. 4, as well as a 44-point, 10-board double double in a Dec. 2 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Speaking of the playoffs, Davis remained reliable during the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals. Davis played in all 16 contests. He averaged 22.6 points per game to go along with career-highs in rebounds (14.1) and blocks (3.1).
Perfect Timing
With the Lakers reloading their roster and LeBron James set to return for his 21st season—a feat only five other players have accomplished—re-signing Davis came at a perfect time.
The team has run most of their offense through Davis in the past few years, expecting him to shoulder the brunt of the load and be a force to be reckoned with. Thankfully, he has delivered, with monstrous performances that put him in the conversation of the top big men currently in the league. With James’s career reaching the end at some point, it was only right to keep the James-Davis duo intact and, more importantly, have a sense of direction for the franchise once James retires.
Looking towards next season, however, Davis should be hungry to compete. After a series of injuries that kept him out during the regular season, as well as All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense team snubs, he has all the motivation he needs to silence his critics and let his game speak for itself. Surrounded by a group who maximizes his strengths, AD should be offensively successful while remaining the team’s anchor on defense. Additionally, having several forwards who can adequately defend the perimeter will take a load of pressure off of Davis. Davis can now focus on one of his best attributes: protecting the paint.
The Last Word on Anthony Davis
It was a matter of time before Davis and the Lakers agreed to an extension. Now, the Brow remains a Laker for the foreseeable future with a deal he richly deserved. The fans and front office have high expectations for him, and it’s up to Davis to deliver once again.
