The Los Angeles Lakers set off this offseason with one of their main goals being to get a starting center. They have achieved that with Walker Kessler, and they also added some depth.
There has also been speculation surrounding former Lakers center Anthony Davis. With Kessler installed as the new starting center, it is hard to see the franchise entertaining the option of bringing back Davis. However, that hasn’t stopped rumors from spreading.
The Washington Wizards are yet to express a desire to hand Davis an extension, which has come as a surprise. The Athletic put out a major report earlier this offseason stating that Davis and the Wizards have no plans to discuss a contract extension until sometime during the 2026-27 season. This, in large part, has fueled the speculation.
According to Lakeshowlife’s Tyler Watts, the contract situation is a case but maybe for another team not named the Lakers.
“AD is entering the final guaranteed year of his contract and the Wizards are holding off on an extension,” Watts wrote. “The future Hall of Famer could be available next summer, but the Lakers just locked in their long-term center.”
The Wizards and the Lakers have already conducted business this summer, with L.A. sending last season’s starting center Deandre Ayton to the Nation’s Capital. But it would be hard to see another exchange of centers, much less one of Davis’ magnitude.
Lakers Unlikely to Re-Acquire Anthony Davis
Davis, 33, was traded for Luka Doncic two seasons ago, but the Wizards are his second team since leaving the Lakers. It kind of sums up how things have been for Davis, who is yet to play a game for Washington after moving from the Dallas Mavericks.
With rookie AJ Dybantsa and Trae Young also present, the Wizards would likely prefer not to rush an extension for Davis without seeing how the roster plays out.
Leaving Washington isn’t even an easy option. Davis is currently on a lucrative veteran deal with a guaranteed season left at roughly $58.5 million and a $62.8 million player option after that. It’s hard to see a team open to taking that at the moment, not even the Lakers, who sorted their center option quite early.
“Kessler is the Lakers’ center,” Watts added. “He inked a four-year, $129.4 million contract after LA gave up the draft capital to acquire him. The 25-year-old is eight years younger than AD and is still improving. The Lakers bet on ascending players this summer and are not throwing out their entire Kessler plan for Davis.”
The thought of having Davis looks good on paper beyond the injury issues but the Lakers weren’t going to pass up the opportunity of adding one of the top young seven-footers in the league.
Moving Forward with New Center Addition
Ideally, the roster fit moving forward would be around Doncic. Kessler is not a stretch big like Davis but has the upside needed to elevate the frontcourt.
Davis, when healthy, is a MVP-caliber center, but he is simply too expensive to even be a thought right now for the Lakers. Even when an opportunity arises next summer, they already have a long-term addition.
“The Lakers want shooting and defense around Luka Doncic and his starting center,” Watts wrote. “Kessler is an elite rim protector and lob threat who will make significantly less money than AD.”
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