Great news for Lakers fans! Anthony Davis, the team’s superstar, has just inked a deal worth approximately $186 million, keeping him in LA for the next three years. Some critics have noted AD’s past injuries and occasional lapses in crucial regular-season moments. But securing him now was a savvy move for the Lakers, especially considering the looming free agency when other teams might have tried to snag him. All in all, it’s a win for the purple and gold!
AD’s Contract Details
Rich Paul, Klutch Sports CEO, confirmed on Friday that Davis and the Lakers have sealed a three-year contract extension worth $186 million. This was initially reported by ESPN. With an impressive average of $62 million annually, Davis’ deal now stands as the most lucrative annual contract in NBA history. It even edges out Jaylen Brown’s recent supermax contract with the Celtics, which averaged $60.8 million annually.
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Davis’ deal will be in effect from the 2025-26 season. He’s set to earn around $40.6 million in the upcoming season and $43.2 million in 2024-25. By the time this contract concludes in 2027-28, Davis’ on-court earnings will have reached an astounding $500 million, with the last three seasons netting him a cool $750,000 per regular-season game with the Lakers.
How This Deal Affects the Lakers
Following their successful re-signing of pivotal players, the Lakers have also added seasoned pros to boost their quest for the NBA Finals. With commitments to Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and AD, the franchise is set to invest a hefty $300 million. And that’s before accounting for the rest of the roster in the upcoming years. The Lakers are clearly pulling out all the stops!
Julia Stumbaugh of the Bleacher’s Report delved into the intricacies of these contracts, examining their impact on LA’s financial landscape, especially considering LeBron James’ looming potential contract expiration.
Julia highlighted that the Lakers have an active cap hit of $163.8 million for the 2023-24 season, placing them 11th in the NBA rankings. This leaves them with a cushion of about $8.5 million before reaching the $172.3 million first apron.
She emphasized that going beyond this threshold would limit their flexibility in trades and signings. Intriguingly, James and Davis are projected to account for a whopping 64.8% of the Lakers’ cap that season. While their combined cap hits are set to jump in the 2024-25 season, these figures might actually occupy a smaller proportion of the total cap.
Bottom Line
In essence, the deal is a solid investment! A fit and firing duo of him and LeBron James remains among the NBA’s elite pairings. Together, they clinched the 2020 NBA title for the Lakers and steered the team to the Western Conference finals last season.
