It seems strange that days after the start of the NBA free agency, Anthony Davis has yet to finalize an extension deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, the league's reigning champions. There's no denying the Lakers want to resign the superstar and badly, and it's fair to assume AD feels the same. But why the delay?
It appears that Davis is taking his sweet time, and not to think about other options on the table but to see how things are shaping in L.A. when the players' movements have come to an end. The 27-year-old will still play with LeBron James and the Purple & Gold but he is in no rush to ink a deal.
The plan is to see first how the free agency will shape up the Lakers roster and Davis will make up his mind on the terms that he would agree with the front office, said Clutch Points, picking up from the information shared by Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times.
"Davis wanted to see how the team would be put together before deciding the length of his contract," Turner was reported as saying.
The expectation is AD would be monitoring the Lakers' free agency dealings before deciding on the length of his next contract with the organization. One thing is clear though, Davis will stay with the team and possibly shoot for a repeat in 2021 but he wants to get clear of vision of thing before committing to a long-term agreement.
Most likely, the superstar, whom the Lakers are seen to build around in the years to come, will go for a short-term before pressing for that supermax deal.
It's not necessarily a case of hesitation for Davis is merely looking to make sure that all is well with the Lakers when James exits the scene. As Fadeaway World noted, while The King performed superbly last season and won the team's 17th championship, the signs are noticeable he is slowing down soon.
If only for this reason, AD is likely keener to agree on a short contract, possibly one or up to two years. Then down the road, if the Lakers will make the right maneuvers and the perfect signing to bolster the lineup, Davis could strongly consider becoming the franchise's cornerstone player.
He will take up the mantle that James will leave behind and gladly so but Davis is making sure that he is with a squad that can continue to dominate in the seasons to come.
Of note, Davis delaying his extension decision aligns with the earlier claims made by NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski that the star's new contract signing will have to wait for Thanksgiving, possibly after. And yes, Woj did confirm that AD intends to wear again the Purple & Gold next season.
