The Lakers, following a championship run last season, rewarded dominant big man Anthony Davis for his exploits in the bubble. AD and LeBron steam-rolled the competition in the Bubble as they ‘gentlemen swept’ the West, and beat Miami in 6 games in the NBA Finals. Davis, on the back of the 2020 playoffs, earned a whopping 5-year 190-million $ contract in December 2020.

League experts also believed that the following season would see Davis ascend to the next level, in a passing-the-torch moment from LeBron James. The expectations on AD were to make a case for the MVP. But, for the power-forward, the 2021 season was a polar opposite of his bubble exploits.

AD’s numbers in the regular season shrunk, as he dealt with lingering injuries that kept him out for long periods. Davis’s numbers in 36 games this year shrunk down to 21.8ppg/7.9rpg/3.1apg, compared to 26.1ppg/9.3rpg/3.2apg in his first season with the LakeShow.

LeBron and Davis fit together like a hand in a glove in their first season together, and had it not been for injuries, the Lakers would have probably run it all the way back this season.

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And while the duo’s chemistry was a major factor in their dominance, the Lakers front office has been able to align the duo’s contracts.

The intriguing case of Anthony Davis

The James-Davis duo was a cheat code in Orlando, as they averaged 27.6ppg/10.8rpg/8.8apg and 27.7ppg/9.7rpg/3.5apg respectively. The Lakers and AD agreed to a 190-million $ that locks up the power forward in L.A. till he has a player option to become an unrestricted free agent in 2024. The contract positioned Davis to earn between 32 million in his 1st year, and 40 million in the last year, i.e. 2023-24.

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The Lakers GM also gave his take on the Davis contract, as he said – “In the Orlando bubble, Anthony Davis proved he is one of the game’s most complete and dominant two-way players. Now, Lakers fans get to watch AD continue to grow and lead our franchise for years to come.”

James also signed a contract extension last season, that will ensure he and AD continue to don the Purple and Gold for the next 2 seasons. With Davis in his prime and LeBron showing no signs of slowing down in his 19th season, Laker fans will be excited to see the duo push the bar next year.

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What’s next for L.A.?

The Los Angeles Lakers have always been a prime-time market for Free Agents. Notable examples being Shaquille O’ Neal, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, LeBron James, Pau Gasol, and Anthony Davis. Staples Center has indeed shaped their legacy, with the aforementioned players carrying the LakeShow to the promised land.

Following the Lakers’ post-season disappointment, Davis has backed the current roster with LeBron and role players Andre Drummond, Dennis Schroder, and Montrezl Harrell as title contenders, further expressing his interest in running it back next season.

Will the front office share the same view? Or will the franchise, in a bid for a 3rd superstar go in for a complete overhaul? Will they put their key role player assets on the trade block? Only one way to find out!

Watch this story – From Dwyane Wade To Anthony Davis: Best Teammates of LeBron James In His NBA Career