Windhorst: Anthony Davis Wants to Stay with Lakers amid Contract, LeBron James Rumors

As the Los Angeles Lakers await a decision from LeBron James about his future, Anthony Davis' contract is also hovering over the franchise heading into the offseason.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on Get Up that Davis "wants to be a Laker" and the team has every incentive to think about signing him to a long-term deal:

"The Lakers have to also plan not just for the present but for the future when LeBron James is no longer there. You do not want to have to try to get a star when you've already lost a star. So, I think even though he's got time left on his contract and you're not necessarily feeling huge pressure, you want to lock him down. He is in his prime. He wants to be a Laker. I would make sure that he stays on my team for the long-term."

There has been a lot of speculation about the Lakers' future in the wake of their loss to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

Everything starts with James' decision after saying he will "think about" potentially retiring after wrapping up his 20th NBA season. The 38-year-old played two months with a torn tendon in his foot he suffered during a Feb. 26 game against the Dallas Mavericks.

The Athletic's Jovan Buha noted the odds of James actually retiring are "about" 10 percent based on conversations he's had, but the Lakers are certainly aware he's getting close to the end of his career.

Davis is the second-best player on Los Angeles' roster and a true difference-maker when he's on the court. He has an early-termination option in his contract after next season but is also eligible to sign a three-year extension worth up to $167.5 million this offseason.

Durability has been an issue for him, particularly over the past three seasons. He's only played 132 out of 236 possible regular-season games since the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

It's fair to wonder how Davis will age as a player given the injuries he's had during his career. The eight-time All-Star turned 30 on March 11 and has missed at least 26 games in four of the past five years.

As long as the Lakers are confident Davis will be able to play enough to justify paying him a max salary well into his 30s, they should at least try to get him to sign an extension this summer.

During his four seasons in Los Angeles, Davis has averaged 24.6 points on 51.7 percent shooting, 10.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.