One of the Golden State Warriors‘ biggest Western Conference rivals has secured the centerpiece of its franchise for years come.
The Los Angeles Lakers signed big man Anthony Davis to a maximum three-year extension on Friday, August 4. The deal locks him into the roster for the next five seasons and does so at the richest annual price point in league history across the contract’s final three years.
Adrian Wojnarowksi of ESPN broke the news via Twitter on Friday afternoon.
BREAKING: Lakers star Anthony Davis has agreed on a three-year $186M max extension, tying him to franchise thru 2028 for total of $270M-plus, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN. Davis lands richest annual extension in NBA history at $62M.
“BREAKING: Lakers star Anthony Davis has agreed on a three-year $186M max extension, tying him to the franchise [through] 2028 for total of $270M-plus, @KlutchSports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN,” Wojnarowski tweeted. “Davis lands richest annual extension in NBA history at $62M.”
Injury-Prone Big Man Anthony Davis Key to Lakers’ Future as Challengers to Golden State
GettyGolden State Warriors forward Draymond Green boxes out Los Angeles Lakers big man Anthony Davis during a Western Conference Semifinals playoff game in May 2023.
The Davis extension is the latest move in a successful offseason for L.A., which locked up Austin Reaves on a team-friendly deal earlier this summer and solidified a quality supporting cast around Davis and four-time MVP LeBron James. The Lakers also built flexibility into the roster and will be able to make a meaningful move or two at the NBA’s trade deadline in February.
Friday’s developments in Los Angeles weren’t good for Golden State, though they were expected and are unlikely to prove catastrophic. The Lakers bested the Warriors across six games in the Western Conference Semifinals in May, ending the Dubs’ bid for back-to-back championships.
The Denver Nuggets swept L.A. out of the next round on their way to the franchise’s first-ever title. But, assuming relative health, the Lakers still figure to be among Golden State’s biggest obstacles to a 7th NBA Finals appearance in 10 years. Davis, 30, is a borderline top-10 player in the league when healthy, though he has been injury-prone for much of his career including during his time in Los Angeles.
Warriors Improved Over Offseason, Re-Signed Draymond Green
GettyForward Draymond Green (left) and point guard Steph Curry (right) will both be members of the Golden State Warriors for at least the next three NBA seasons.
Golden State also had a quality offseason, which was headlined by the four-year, $100 million extension of Draymond Green. Green’s deal is now aligned with Steph Curry’s remaining tenure in the Bay Area. Curry is under contract with the Warriors through the 2025-26 season, while Green will have a player option for the 2026-27 campaign.
The Dubs also traded Jordan Poole’s contract to the Washington Wizards, bringing back 12-time All-Star point guard Chris Paul III in the process. The franchise then inked versatile big man Dario Saric to a one-year deal, solidifying its rotation.
Starting wing Andrew Wiggins and center Kevon Looney are both under contract for multiple seasons to come, leaving Klay Thompson as the last piece of the puzzle. Thompson is extension-eligible as he enters the final campaign of his five-year, $190 million contract, though he may not begin serious negotiations on a new deal with the Warriors until next summer.
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Warriors’ Cali Rival Signs Superstar to Historic Extension