Ed Davis Opts Out of Lakers Contract: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction
The Los Angeles Lakers signed Ed Davis at the veteran's minimum last summer, and he outperformed that deal throughout the 2014-15 season.
As a result, Basketball Insiders' Eric Pincus reported Davis has declined his player option for next season and will test the market as an unrestricted free agent:
Davis earned just $981,084 a year ago, per Spotrac.com, and his player option for 2015-16 was only valued at $1,100,602.
After averaging career highs of 8.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks during his first season with the Purple and Gold, Davis is reportedly seeking a sizable raise.
"A league source familiar with his thinking said he will seek a two- or three-year deal worth $7-8 million a year, or a one-year deal worth $9-10 million," the Los Angeles Daily News' Mark Medina wrote.
While it remains to be seen if teams will appraise Davis' services similarly, he has expressed an interest in returning to Los Angeles.
"I definitely want to be back," Davis said, per Medina. "With everything being equal, I’m 100 percent going back there. Hopefully that’s the case. But with free agency and all the stuff going on with the draft, you never know how things are going to go."
If Davis were to net a base salary in the range of $8 million, it would make him one of the league's 15 highest-paid players at the 4 next season, per Spotrac. Had he accepted his player option, Davis would have ranked 49th on that list.
An uber-athletic roll man who excels as an above-the-rim finisher and shot-blocker, Davis should be coveted as teams seek to bolster their rotations with bigs who can play specialized roles.
