• Anthony Davis signed a three-year, $186 million contract extension with the Lakers
• GM Rob Pelinka has shared why the team was comfortable solidifying AD as their leader
• Davis is under contract till the end of the 2027-28 season
The Lakers made a lot of big moves this summer. They reshaped their roster’s rotation while re-signing all their relevant free agents to good-value contracts. All that led up to the team extending Anthony Davis on a three-year, $186 million contract.
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka has discussed what made the team comfortable locking Davis up until he’s 35 years old.
“Jeanie, Darvin, and I were probably the most excited to get Anthony’s perspective on what it means to do an extension like this and what it means to become a leader of the Lakers for years to come. And for us, in our conversations with him, it was really centered around his character, who he is as a person, how he treats his teammates, and his commitment to want to be the hardest worker and help establish our culture with that.”
Pelinka then heaped some more praise onto Davis.
“Clearly, he’s one of the game’s most dominant two-way players. But to see his desire to take on those leadership reins was significant for us, to have those conversations with him.”
“To become a leader of the Lakers for years to come.” Rob Pelinka speaks on the importance of Anthony Davis as the core of the Lakers’ future. pic.twitter.com/FuU5dd0OoG
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) August 9, 2023
AD averaged 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game last season. He was arguably one of the best defenders in the league but didn’t play enough to get consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. Nonetheless, he established himself as the best defender during the playoffs.
His offense has become a little inconsistent, but as long as he’s locking the paint up every single game, the Lakers can make a lot of noise.
Will Anthony Davis Take The Reins From LeBron James?
It seems the Lakers have been waiting since 2020 for AD to assert himself on the squad and take the leadership reins from LeBron James. Unfortunately, AD hasn’t found the consistency he needs to unilaterally claim leadership of the team over LeBron, who averaged 28.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists last season.
The playoffs did show what’s to come from LA, as the team clearly zoned in on AD as their primary option and not LeBron. Whether that was a shift in the team’s thinking or because of LeBron’s foot injury, it did show many positive things that could help LA this year.
LeBron clearly looks ready to let the 30-year-old AD do the heavy lifting for the squad, as James can focus more on finishing games in the fourth quarter instead of getting gassed due to extra effort in the first three.
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