KEY POINTS

  • Anthony Davis' new deal could be a short-term deal to align with LeBron James' contract
  • Davis opts out but will get a bigger pay starting next season
  • Davis is unlikely to consider moving out of Hollywood for now

Anthony Davis has opted out of his final year with the Los Angeles Lakers although such is not surprising.

Most know that the 27-year-old center will be given a new long-term deal with the details of that rich contract expected to be known soon.

David could have made $28.7 million this season with the Lakers had he wanted to, NBA.com reported. But after successfully helping Los Angeles win the 2019-20 NBA title, most already knew that all this was part of a bigger plan.

The Lakers could give Davis a new deal by Friday once free agency begins. The league’s transaction moratorium is expected to be lifted on Monday.

But as early as now, it would not be surprising if the Lakers already have a set lucrative deal for the seven-time All-Star.

For now, all that is clear is that Davis will be a whole lot richer. However, the next question is his longevity of tenure.

It could be either a four-year deal filled with guaranteed money or a short-term offer for him to get more flexibility. LeBron James could be worth considering in these scenarios, CBS Sports reported.

The contract of James will end by 2022. However, he can opt-out next season if chooses to do so. Given those scenarios, Davis could opt for a two-year deal so that he would be on the same timeline as James.

Regardless, the only thing that seems sure is that the Lakers will still have the top pick of the 2012 NBA Draft for the 2020-21 season. He had a brilliant first year for the Lakers, averaging 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 blocks in 62 regular-season games.

Those numbers slightly improved in the playoffs with Davis averaging 27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 blocks. Beyond that, he rose to the occasion several times in the NBA Finals especially when James needed help.

With a memorable NBA season capped by a title-clinching feat, Davis likely wants to continue his run with the purple and gold. A new deal is imminent, but the suspense on the details should be out soon with big numbers tied to it.

Lakers star Anthony Davis drives the ball against Jae Crowder of the Miami Heat in a dominant NBA Finals debut
Lakers star Anthony Davis drives the ball against Jae Crowder of the Miami Heat in a dominant NBA Finals debut GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Kevin C. Cox