The Los Angeles Lakers’ acquisition of Anthony Davis does not come without risk. For one, the team gutted its depth and its young assets to get a second star for LeBron James. Secondly, Davis is a free agent in a year and if things go poorly, he could bolt.
Davis and his agent, Rich Paul, have made it clear from the start that they want to be in Los Angeles. But despite being able to sign an extension, the big man appears to be keeping his options open, according to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes:
Anthony Davis, who could sign extension with the Lakers this offseason, will play out the 2019-20 season and enter free agency next year, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 15, 2019
While fans may be disappointed that Davis will not commit to the franchise before ever playing a game, they should not be surprised. Davis has made the postseason twice since entering the league, winning only one game. If the Lakers’ plans at a super team go awry, no one should fault Davis for exploring other options. That’s not to mention the extra money that he could earn by waiting until free agency to ink a new deal with the Lakers or another team.
However, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Davis does intend to re-sign with the Lakers who can now offer him the most money in free agency:
“Davis, who had requested a trade to L.A. in January, joins James in Los Angeles to create one of the most powerful duos in the NBA. Davis has long planned to sign a new contract with the Lakers once he becomes eligible for free agency in 2020.”
For now, Davis will be looking at a partnership with LeBron James and potentially a third-star teammate and hoping to be a championship contender in a season that seems ripe for the picking.
