Anthony Davis, Pelicans Agree on New Contract: Latest Details and Reaction

In a move that's been months in the making, the New Orleans Pelicans and superstar forward Anthony Davis have agreed to terms on a max contract extension. 

The Pelicans made things official with quotes from general manager Dell Demps and Davis:

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“Words cannot describe the excitement of the New Orleans Pelicans to have Anthony Davis as the cornerstone of our organization,” said Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps. “Anthony is a great person, a phenomenal player and the ideal representative of his family, the Pelicans and the New Orleans community.

“We are thrilled to have Anthony commit to the Pelicans as we continue to build our team to have sustained success.”

“I am very excited to continue to play for the Pelicans and remain a proud resident of the City of New Orleans,” stated Davis. “I want to thank Mr. and Mrs. Benson, Dell Demps, Coach Gentry, the entire Pelicans’ organization, my agent Thad Foucher, my family and, of course, all of the incredible fans for their unwavering support. I look forward to many great years together.”

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Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported on July 1 that the 22-year-old's new deal will pay him $145 million over five years. The extension will officially kick in at the start of the 2016-17 season once Davis earns a shade over $7 million during the final year of his rookie contract. 

As Bleacher Report's Sean Highkin noted, Davis' deal could look like one of the league's best based on his lofty trajectory: 

And because the lucrative new deal doesn't start reflecting on the Pelicans' cap sheet until a year from now, Davis has a chance to earn even more money by virtue of the collective bargaining agreement's Rose Rule.

Thanks to a clause in the CBA, Davis will be able to earn between 25 and 30 percent of the Pelicans' total salary-cap figure if he meets one of the following benchmarks before the extension starts paying out: 

• Voted by the fans as a starter to his second All-Star team
• Win MVP
• Make his second All-NBA team

Entering just his fourth NBA season, Davis has already established himself as one of the league's most polished players.

Not only has he led the league in blocks in back-to-back seasons, but he also joined LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal, Tracy McGrady, David Robinson and Dwyane Wade as the only players in league history to finish a campaign with a player efficiency rating over 30. 

Davis was also the only player to average at least 20 points, 10 boards and two rejections while shooting at least 50 percent from the field last season, per Basketball-Reference.com. 

The 6'10'' big man flashed a terrifying ability to step out and hit jump shots on a regular basis. According to Basketball-Reference, Davis drilled 45.1 percent of his shots between 10 and 16 feet and another 41.9 percent between 16 feet and the three-point line. 

According to Pelicans.com's Jim Eichenhofer, new head coach Alvin Gentry wants Davis to get even more comfortable with his long-range jumper next season: 

And with Gentry keen on pushing the pace in an uptempo system that should accentuate Davis' strengths on both ends, there's a chance the Pelicans' prodigy could post even gaudier numbers as his career rolls along.

This certainly won't be the last max contract Davis signs.