The confetti JUST fell for the Los Angeles Lakers after their latest NBA title, but of course, the offseason ahead looms for every team, including the champions.
So of course Anthony Davis — who had himself an absolutely incredible NBA Finals — was asked about what he’s going to do before the start of next season. He’s got a player option for 2020-21, but you have to think it’s all but certain he’ll decline that for a bigger payday.
Who will be giving him his next humongous contract? That’s up in the air for Davis, and naturally asking him that just after winning his first ring would elicit uncertainty.
Anthony Davis on how he might handle his potential free agency: "I have no idea." AD then adds, "I had a great time in LA this year. It's been nothing but joy and amazement. Over the next couple of months, we'll figure it out. I'm not 100% sure."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) October 12, 2020
That’s how the free-agency game is played. You don’t say outright, “I’M COMING BACK!” You act coy. But I don’t see a situation where he leaves.
First off, this Lakers team has the chance to stay mostly intact next season. LeBron James has another year before he faces a player option of his own. Danny Green (make all your jokes but he was important for this team), Kyle Kuzma, Avery Bradley, JaVale McGee and Alex Caruso are all under contract. So although the Lakers do have some holes, they’d return most of the key players on a championship-winning squad.
The bigger point here is: where would The Brow go if he pulled a Kawhi Leonard?
Is he going to a rebuilding team that needs a centerpiece? I don’t see it. He spent years on Pelicans team that never got him the help he needed, so why would he scrap it all and start over again? The also-rans in both conferences would love Davis, of course, but would he really bolt for, say, the Raptors, where he’d have to be their center (a position he doesn’t want to play all the time due to the physical nature of it on the defensive end)? I doubt it.
Frank Vogel reiterates that the reason they don't play Anthony Davis at the five more is to avoid the banging he'd sustain if he played that position full-time, and because he says that for most of the season the numbers were better with Davis at the four.
— Championship Faigen (@hmfaigen) October 2, 2020
The other factor about leaving is the question marks abound about where the salary cap will be in the offseason. If it’s lower, teams may not have the room they thought they’d have to sign a mega-star like Davis.
So here’s what you do, if you’re Davis: take one of those short contracts with a late player option like James took with the Lakers (four years total including the option), pair yourself with a player who completely compliments everything you do who isn’t in his prime but is still doing unreal things, and go for a couple of titles more. It makes the most sense.
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