What appeared to be one of the biggest concerns for the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason has been solved pretty quickly as Anthony Davis is reportedly planning to re-sign with the team after opting out of his contract. Davis just finished a great first season with the purple and gold, leading the team to their 17th NBA championship, the first one in 10 years, alongside LeBron James.
AD’s impending free agency decision was a topic of discussion around the league in recent days but now the player has made sure to shut down any rumors about a departure from Los Angeles. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Davis plans to opt out of his contract and will meet with the Lakers in the next couple of days to polish the details of his new deal with the franchise.
Via The Athletic:
Davis plans to opt out of his $28.7 million player option and re-sign with the Lakers, sources tell The Athletic. Davis and his agent, Rich Paul, will hold meetings in the coming weeks to discuss the situation and the contract term that is most sensible for Davis. Among the expected deal possibilities for Davis this offseason (projected numbers based on salary cap of $109,140,000):
• Two years, $68,103,360: One-plus-one, player option in year two.
• Three years, $106,084,080: Two-plus-one, player option in year three. This deal would bring Davis to 10 years of service before 2022 free agency and thus make him eligible for the 35 percent max contract. Using a $125 million cap projection in 2022, Davis’ max deal would be worth $253.75 million over five years, or $196 million over four years.
• Four years, $146,684,160: Three-plus-one, player option in year four. Using a potential $131.25 million cap in 2023, Davis would be in line for a $266.4 million max over five years or $205.8 million over four years.
Things can’t look better for the Lakers and Davis right now. They just won their first NBA championship together and this association won’t end anytime soon. The player revealed he wanted to ‘run it back’ during the celebrations of the championship and that’s about to become a reality once he agrees to terms with the purple and gold.
