Lakers Rumors: LA 'Reluctant' on Anthony Davis Contract Extension, Says NBA Exec

LeBron James may not be the only Los Angeles Lakers star whose long-term future is a bit nebulous.

Anthony Davis has an early termination option in his contract for 2024-25, which allows him to hit free agency as early as next summer. Despite that looming possibility, Los Angeles' front office isn't yet making the eight-time All-Star a top priority.

Heavy Sports' Sean Deveney spoke to an executive in the Western Conference who said the Lakers "entered the summer with AD on the back burner."

"They would like to keep it there, keep that extension on the back burner," the executive said. "They do not need to do it right away. I'd say they're reluctant and you can understand that at this point."

ESPN's Dave McMenamin presented the same perspective in June when discussing Davis on ESPNLA 710's Sedano & Kap (via RealGM).

"You hope Anthony Davis stays healthy and you get the best out of him next year," he said. "But I don't think they're going to be in a position to be interested in a long-term extension for him this summer."

However, Brian Windhorst of ESPN argued June 5 on Get Up that the Lakers "do not want [Davis] messing with free agency in 2024." Therefore, they should be proactive in addressing the situation.

Calling Davis' tenure in L.A. a disappointment might be a stretch because the 2020 championship doesn't happen without him. That there's even a level of doubt about the Lakers' willingness to lock up the 30-year-old at the earliest opportunity reflects how his run hasn't unfolded as the franchise hoped, though.

Davis has battled injuries across the last four seasons, extending a trend that predated his move to the West Coast. He hasn't demonstrated he can carry the torch as the cornerstone once James is gone, either.

CBS Sports' Bill Reiter reported in June on the Zach Gelb Show that even LeBron has expressed some frustration with Davis and is "over" AD:

The Lakers typically aren't in the business of losing star players. A decade ago, they made every effort to re-sign Dwight Howard despite how apparent it was he wasn't a great fit alongside Kobe Bryant.

More practically, the front office would be leaving a lot to chance if Davis were to walk. Next year's free-agent class boasts plenty of marquee names, but successfully poaching one of those targets is easier said than done given the general uncertainty around James.

LeBron understandably drives a lot of the conversation regarding the Lakers' general direction, but Davis carries just as much intrigue.