Lakers News: Latest on Anthony Davis' Free Agency Plans, LeBron James and More

The Los Angeles Lakers are champions once again. They defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 on Sunday night in to capture the franchise's first title since 2010 and 17th overall. It's one that will stand out from all the rest because of the unusual circumstances in which they did it, siloed away inside the Orlando bubble in Florida because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I said I wasn't going to cry and I cried with like 30 seconds left on the clock," said Anthony Davis, per Spectrum Sportsnet, noting that the journey started last October, a year-long grind that's unlike any other team has had to deal with. 

The Lakers will be able to bask in the glow of this championship for weeks, but it won't be long before they have to get back to business of basketball. Not long after Davis hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy, he was asked about his potential to hit free agency.

He wasn't quite ready to think about it yet, per USA Today's Mark Medina:

Davis has a player option for the 2020-21 season worth $28.7 million, per Spotrac. As Medina noted in another tweet, he believes Davis' non-committal answer is most likely because of the uncertainty surrounding salary caps and the terms he can get if he opts out and re-signs for the long-term. If he opts out, ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk noted "Davis could receive $32.7 million next season if the salary cap stays at $109.1 million, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks."

If he does opt out, don't expect him to go anywhere. The Lakers are one of the league's marquee franchises and needed just one season to deliver a championship that the former No. 1 overall pick couldn't even get close to in seven years with the New Orleans Pelicans. He's still only 27 years old, just now entering his prime. The Lakers will do anything and everything they can to make him feel comfortable staying.

Few people can affect a game like Davis on both ends of the court. Just look at what he did in the finals when playing center, per Youngmisuk:

Davis can of course also play his preferred No. 4 spot, which means he gives the Lakers cover at two positions and gives coach Frank Vogel incredible flexibility when crafting gameplans and lineups. Oh, and LeBron James is under contract for at least another year, so why not try to run it back and win another title? 

LeBron James' Historic MVP Win

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Speaking of King James, the 35-year-old superstar just won his fourth NBA Finals MVP, one for each of his NBA championships. That moves him into sole possession of second place all-time, trailing only Michael Jordan, who won six. James' record is unique in that he's the only player to have won a Finals MVP award with three different teams (Lakers, Heat, and Cavaliers). 

"This is right up there with one of the greatest accomplishments I have," said James, referring to winning the championship and the challenges that came with playing in the Orlando bubble, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

James averaged 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game in these finals, per NBA.com. He elevated his game whenever the Lakers needed a jolt. When he was off the court, his teammates often looked lost on offense without his playmaking and decisiveness.

His leadership was crucial, as his teammates can attest. Here's Kyle Kuzma's take, per Lakers Daily's Ryan Ward:

Certainly, there is no other player quite like James, and now his Finals MVP record reflects that. He's not part of a system. He changes franchises with his myriad gifts.

Rob Pelinka Comments on Kobe Bryant Motivation

Davis mentioned that the Lakers' journey toward this championship started last October. In the midst of the long trek toward glory, the franchise was struck by tragedy when Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, in January.

The devastating loss impacted everyone in the franchise, including general manager Rob Pelinka, who was Bryant's longtime agent before taking the Lakers job. Following the Game 6 win on Sunday night, Pelinka commented on how Bryant and his daughter impacted him, and the team by extension.

"I guess you were right, man," Pelinka said while looking up to the ceiling following the Game 6 clincher, per Medina. "You give me the energy to do it."

"Kobe and Gianna have guided this team the entire year," Pelinka added. "Kobe's voice is always in my head, always, every day, every minute."

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

The Lakers could not have won an NBA championship without the guidance of Pelinka. He's been the team's GM since 2017, helping to bring in James and swinging the blockbuster trade for Davis. As Pelinka tells it, he couldn't have done his job without the example set by Bryant.