Despite his long injury history, the Lakers signed Anthony Davis to a record three-year, $186 million extension on Friday and some are wondering what this will mean for LeBron James and his future at LA.
Both AD and James are represented by the same agency – Klutch Sports and now big man Davis will be in purple and gold until at least 2027-28.
It would seem like a good indication that both Klutch and the Lakers would want King James to follow a similar path, if they can help it.
“Nothing happens in a vacuum in all this,” a Western Conference executive told Heavy Sports. “You can read all kinds of things into this, how fast it took place and all of that (Davis was first eligible to sign a deal with the Lakers on August 4, the day it happened). And there is a LeBron aspect to it. There always is.”
LeBron is entering the final year of his contract and has a player option for 2024-25, valued at $51.4 million.
Nothing is guaranteed though, and after a tough playoffs exit last season, James threatened retirement.
Riding off into the sunset could become a very real possibility as he reaches his 21st year in the league and turns 39 this December.
He could also want out of LA to play on another team with his son Bronny, whose NBA future looks clouded at the moment since he suffered a recent cardiac arrest.
All of these things considered, keeping Davis happy and in LA will encourage LeBron to finish his career as a Laker, according to the exec.
“You sign AD to this deal, there is the Klutch connection there, and LeBron has a certain level of responsibility for what Davis does with the Lakers,” the exec said. “So of course, there is communication there. If LeBron was going to leave, that would change the conversation.
“Now, AD can change his mind if LeBron leaves the Lakers down the road and ask for a trade—everyone’s doing that now, right?—but the message to LeBron is that hey want him there and AD signing that is a message, too. It paves the way for these two guys to stay together for the foreseeable.”