Many NBA superstars have become comfortable with taking shorter deals to allow themselves to hit the open market earlier, either to make more money or to keep their options open regarding playing on a contender. Anthony Davis, however, did not follow that trend.
Davis signed a five-year max deal with the Los Angeles Lakers instead of a shorter pact. The reason, he said Friday, was because of his concern about his injury history.
“That could have been a two-year, three-year deal,” Davis said, via Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “[But] I have to think about, also, the reality of things, too. I do have a little history with injuries, and a two-year deal, you kind of bet on yourself. … God forbid, knock on wood, something happens.”
The decision certainly wasn’t an obvious one. Had Davis signed a two-plus-one contract and opted out after two seasons, he would have been eligible for a contract worth 35 percent of the salary cap. Davis is essentially trading some extra money in a couple of years for more long-term security.
Davis has only played 70 games or more in a regular season twice. That definitely went into his thinking here.
