Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis was offered a maximum contract extension by the team Tuesday morning, but chose to turn it down for the opportunity to enter free agency this coming summer, according to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes.
Haynes also notes that the reasons for Davis’s decision are a desire to focus on the regular season (understandable, as the Lakers sit first in the Western Conference and are an early title favourite), and salary cap implications.
Due to the timing of last off-season’s blockbuster deal that saw Davis move from the New Orleans Pelicans to the Lakers after a tumultuous season, the prized big man was forced to waive his no-trade clause and the attached $4-million trade kicker in order to make sure the acquisition could be completed.
It is not a surprise, then, after turning down a certain amount of money just to join the Lakers, that Davis would prefer to decline his forthcoming player option for the 2020–21 season and enter the free-agent market rather than sign an extension now (the first available opportunity, since waiving the no trade clause also made him ineligible for an extension for up to six months), as he will be able to earn up to $202 million over five years as opposed to the $146 million over four years that the Lakers are currently able to offer.
And while becoming a free agent does mean that other teams will be able to pitch Davis in the hopes of stealing him away from the bright lights of Hollywood, the expectation, Haynes writes, is that Davis will remain with Los Angeles.
Davis is averaging 27.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.6 blocks on 50.7 per cent shooting this season.
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