All-NBA forward Anthony Davis has formally agreed to a five-year, $190 million maximum contract to stay with the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, Klutch Sports CEO and founder Rich Paul told ESPN on Thursday.
The deal contains an early-termination option prior to the fifth year of the deal in 2024-25, Paul said.
Davis, a free agent, signed the contract Thursday. He considered several short- and long-term contract scenarios before accepting a full five-year, maximum offer, sources said. “In the Orlando bubble, Anthony Davis proved he is one of the game’s most complete and dominant two-way players,” general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement.
“Now, Lakers fans get to watch AD continue to grow and lead our franchise for years to come. This is truly a blessed moment for Lakers Nation.”
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Davis would make $32,742,000 this campaign, $35,361,360 in 2021-22, $37,980,720 in 2022-23, $40,600,080 in 2023-24 and $43,219,440 in the fifth year of the deal.
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.
For Davis, the new deal completes a journey that started in February 2019 when Paul requested to the Pelicans that Davis be traded. The blockbuster deal to L.A. was executed in June 2019; after seven seasons with the Pelicans, Davis was traded to the Lakers for Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and multiple first-round picks and pick swaps.
Davis’ deal comes in the wake of James extending his contract two years through 2023-24.
James and Davis were without glitches in coming together to form a Lakers partnership. Davis averaged 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. He shot 50% from the floor, 33% from 3-point range and a career-best 84.6% from the free throw line. “We don’t just look at this at all as a one- or two-year window,” Pelinka, who is the Lakers’ vice president of basketball operations as well as the GM, said recently.
“We want to stay competitive for the long term and make decisions that allow us to do just that and not just shoot all of our bullets to try and defend for one year. We want to be in a position of being a sustainable contender.”
Before winning his first title, Davis was selected as a Western Conference All-Star for the seventh time. He won the game on two foul shots created off a James pass. Davis finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
