Anthony Davis will be a member of the Los Angeles Lakers for some time, as he agreed to a three-year, $186 million extension on Friday.
His current deal expires in 2025, which means he will be under contract with Los Angeles until the 2027-28 season.
LeBron James’ current contract will also end in 2025 unless he opts out of it next summer and becomes a free agent. Davis getting his hefty extension now places the spotlight on James and whether he will stay with the Lakers.
An NBA executive says that the scene is set for both superstars to stay with the team for the foreseeable future (h/t Lakers Daily).
Via Heavy:
“You sign AD to this deal, there is the Klutch connection there, and LeBron has a certain level of responsibility for what Davis does with the Lakers,” the executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. “So of course, there is communication there. If LeBron was going to leave, that would change the conversation.
“Now, AD can change his mind if LeBron leaves the Lakers down the road and ask for a trade — everyone’s doing that now, right?— but the message to LeBron is that they want him there and AD signing that is a message, too. It paves the way for these two guys to stay together for the foreseeable.”
The Lakers now have what appears to be a championship-caliber roster. It is also a rather young roster outside of the 38-year-old James, so perhaps that would increase the chances of the four-time MVP staying put.