Anthony Davis officially eligible for a contract extension

According to people with knowledge of the situation, there’s strong interest from the Lakers in getting an extension done with the 30-year-old big man. Indications are that the team is prepared to make a full three-year offer despite concerns about Davis’ durability. The sides can formally start speaking today. Davis, who has two years left on his deal, does possess a player option following this season. A max extension, which would pay him an additional $170 million through the 2027-28 season, would cement him as a pillar of the franchise. -via Los Angeles Times / August 4, 2023

Given their success deploying Davis at center full-time last season, the Lakers’ interest in returning to their previous tactic [of moving Anthony Davis to power forward] is puzzling. Is there a way it could make sense? In short: No, there isn’t. But let’s dive further into it. Many of the reasons to deploy Davis at the four alongside another big do not hold water with this roster. Theoretically, two-center lineups give the Lakers more size on both ends, which helps with rebounding, rim protection and exploiting mismatches inside. Perhaps another big could handle most of the center assignments, allowing Davis to spend more time outside of the paint and endure less of a physical pounding. Maybe reducing Davis’ defensive workload will give him more energy to be a more consistent offensive player. -via The Athletic / August 3, 2023

Yet none of those factors have produced an overwhelmingly positive impact in the past. Even before last season, the numbers indicate shifting Davis to center and deploying LeBron James more as a power forward (and even a small-ball center at times) has benefited both superstars and the team as a whole. The sample sizes are relatively small, with so much year-over-year roster turnover and Davis’ injuries affecting a lot of this data, but the Lakers have been better with him at center in three of his four seasons. It’s often been their trump card late in games, including in the 2019-20 season, the very point of comparison for returning to the two-big approach. -via The Athletic / August 3, 2023