Anthony Davis says 5-year deal about comfort, long-term stability in L.A.
Anthony Davis loves the Los Angeles Lakers -- his teammates, coaches and the entire organization.
The 27-year-old big man could have signed a shorter deal in free agency, with the opportunity of another bite at the apple down the road.
But what better way to show his commitment to the Lakers than signing a five-year, $190 max deal, tying him to a transcendent player like LeBron James for the foreseeable future?
“I wanted to be here long-term,” Davis said about his decision. “This is a great organization and I just felt like that was the best option for me. And then, I have to think also the reality of things, too. I do have a little history with injuries. A two-year deal you kind of bet on yourself, you know, do I get to that? God forbid – knock on wood – if something happens, things like that.
“I want to secure the most amount of years possible and be here long-term with this team. So I thought the five-year deal was better for me and my situation.”
Perhaps the only other person more pleased about the decision was Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka, who gets one of the best big men in the NBA for the next five years in his prime.
“He made an incredible commitment to the franchise by choosing to sign a five-year contract,” Pelinka said. “And part of that goes with his statement to the rest of the NBA that this is my team.
“And when you make a statement like that, that is a leadership act. And I think combined with just how dominant he was in the bubble, he’s arguably one of the most dominant, two-way players in the league, the way he impacts the game on both ends. And just how complete he’s become on offense is extraordinary. So, his act of signing is a big leadership statement, right there.”
Davis said the Lakers had the best chemistry of any team he’s played with, and was one of the reasons the preserved, winning an NBA title in the Orlando bubble.
“I’ve had a ton of teammates,” Davis said. “And I think that this past year’s team was the closest team I’ve ever been on. We had that chemistry, doing everything together on the road, hanging out together in the bubble. I think that chemistry is what I loved the most about our team, 1 through 15 every guy liked each other. And that’s something that’s very rare on teams.”
As far as individual goals this season, Davis said he’s keeping it simple -- he just wants to stay healthy.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel would take a healthy Davis and James in a shortened, NBA season affected by COVID-19 protocols.
“Those two guys are the cornerstones of our franchise,” Vogel said. “Everything is going to be built around them. Similarly, to the way we structured things last year, that’s going to be the way it is going forward.
“We’re extremely grateful and lucky to have those guys with our team, to lead our team for years going forward.”
