Currently, Anthony Davis is in a delicate situation as the Los Angeles Lakers are struggling to make up their minds to either keep him or let him go. It is a correct assumption that the Lakers are paying a lot of money to the Brow. Hence, if they trade him, then they can free up a lot of their cap space. Apparently, they have eyes on plenty of players who they would like to sign in and even some already on the team who they want to keep. For instance, Austin Reaves has been a great discovery for the Lakers squad. They would like him to be an asset for them in the franchise’s future. The Lakers may also want to build a team around Austin Reaves in the future like they are doing for LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
These two top players are the reason why the Lakers don’t have much cap space. On top of that, sources are suggesting that they are planning to extend Anthony’s contract for four more years. If that happens, then the Lakers would have to pay Anthony Davis $170 million for four more years. But the actual problem with him is that he does not stay fit for a long time. There has never been a season in AD’s career where he played for more than 75 games. He never really plays for more than 42 minutes. Hence, AD is not reliable for playing the whole game.
Lakers Might Not Look For A Long Term Deal With AD
In the current season, when Anthony Davis took charge to lead the Lakers to yet another conference final, he was not devoid of physical weaknesses. Last December, he hurt his feet and later missed twenty games on the trot due to a stress injury. Hence, when he returned, the coach, Darvin Ham, revealed that AD won’t play back-to-back games so that he won’t put a lot of pressure on his weak feet as he was still an active injury. Clearly, it is like Hailey’s Comet to find Davis fully healthy.
Despite what AD has done for the future throughout these years, it is not false that he has been a pretty high-maintenance player for the franchise. Since the Lakers now have players like Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves, they may plan to buy younger and healthier options. Moreover, Dave McMenamin of ESPN stated, “I don’t feel the Los Angeles Lakers would look for a long-term plan with Anthony Davis. What I mean is that it’s so hard to keep him healthy. But they will hope he stays healthy in the coming years.” Apparently, the Lakers would not want AD to mess up the free agency in 2024.
What Happens If Lakers Lose Both LeBron James And Anthony Davis?
LeBron James and Anthony Davis helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the 2019-20 season. It was the franchise’s 17th title. But James is on the verge of announcing his retirement. He already gave a couple of hints, one during a press conference and another on social media. However, what happens if the Lakers decide to let Davis go as well? They will be in desperate need of a star to lead the franchise in the following seasons.