The Los Angeles Lakers had a relatively quiet offseason largely due to their preexisting financial commitments to players. With the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) making roster construction more challenging, NBA contracts are now more critical than ever.
Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report highlighted potential contracts in the NBA that could become problematic in the future, pointing specifically to Anthony Davis and his recent three-year, $175.4 million extension with the Lakers.
“Last year, Anthony Davis agreed to a three-year, $175.4 million contract extension that will commence in the 2025-26 season,” Swartz wrote on July 16. “This deal will see his earnings rise from $43.2 million in 2024-25 to as much as $62.8 million by 2027-28, assuming Davis exercises his player option. Given his age and injury history, this trajectory raises concerns. Currently, Davis remains one of the NBA’s premier players, showcasing his dominance on both offense and defense throughout last season.”
Despite appearing in 76 games last season, Davis has averaged only 52 healthy appearances per season over the past four years. His recent contract places him in the financial stratosphere alongside Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who have collectively secured five of the last six MVP awards and led their teams to championships. Both are also younger than Davis by two years, and moving forward, he is projected as, at best, a second option on a championship-caliber team.
Davis’s value is unquestionable despite his injury history, having earned accolades such as first-team All-Defense and second-team All-NBA in the 2023-24 season. His pivotal role in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2019-2020 championship victory, where he averaged 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game, underscores his impact.
Following a significant trade to acquire him from the New Orleans Pelicans, re-signing Davis was a logical move for the Lakers. The team’s management is banking on him replicating his healthy 76-game season, aiming for him to play over 60 regular-season games and remain fit for the playoffs, making his contract more than justified.
However, concerns arise about the contract’s implications as Davis ages. By the time he reaches 34, he will consume nearly 35% of the Lakers’ salary cap, comparable to the financial impact of LeBron James, who will be nearing 40 during the 2024-25 season, taking up 34.6% of the team’s cap space.
Next season, Davis will occupy 30.7% of the cap space, a reality that complicates roster building under NBA financial regulations. Nevertheless, retaining Davis was essential for the Lakers’ competitiveness, avoiding the costly pursuit of another player of similar caliber to complement James, a role Davis has already proven he can fulfill.
Be the first to comment