Anthony Davis is staying in Los Angeles after he agreed to a 5-year deal with the purple and gold. AD landed in Los Angeles in a blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Pelicans last year. He won his first NBA championship in the bubble, creating a terrific association with LeBron James.
Although he took more time than expected, AD has finally signed a contract extension with the team that will keep him with the Lakers for the next five years. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the deal is worth $190 million.
All-NBA forward Anthony Davis is finalizing a five-year, $190M maximum contract to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. The deal includes an early termination option prior to fifth season in 2024-2025. Deal could be signed as soon as today.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) December 3, 2020
Davis, a free agent, is expected to sign the contract as soon as Thursday. He considered several short- and long-term contract scenarios before accepting a full five-year, maximum offer, sources said.
At 27 years old, Davis is the co-star of the Lakers with LeBron James — and the centerpiece of the franchise’s long-term future. Davis’ arrival in a trade with New Orleans to join James elevated the Lakers out of six straight seasons in the draft lottery and hurtled them toward an eventual 2019-20 NBA championship.
AD has found his place in the world and he’s not going anywhere. The Lakers found their star for the present and the future and they know keeping AD is crucial for their future in the league. Davis was great for the team and he doesn’t want to go and the Lakers want to keep him as long as they can.
