Los Angeles Lakers Rumors: Anthony Davis to enter free agency, will not sign contract extension

When the Los Angeles Lakers bagged Anthony Davis in a blockbuster offseason signing, nobody really wanted to poke on their bubble of future aspirations. Well, as far as Anthony Davis' commitments go, the Brow has played it safe ever since his arrival in LA. And according to recent reports by Bobby Marks of ESPN, it is becoming less likely that Davis will be back in Hollywood for a second stint:

Although an extension is not likely, Jan. 7 marks the first date that Anthony Davis can sign a new contract with the Lakers. Because Davis waived his trade bonus when he moved from New Orleans, both sides had to wait six months to do a new deal. Davis will be eligible to sign a four-year, $146 million contract next month, or he can wait until July to ink a five-year, $202 million with L.A.

Although Davis has been noncommittal about his future, the league-wide expectation is that Davis will be in a Lakers uniform for the foreseeable future. This Lakers roster is built to compete for titles, and the teams with 2020 cap space can’t offer that immediately.

However, considering the lack of quality destinations for AD in the coming offseason, it can be argued that the Lakers provide the best title hopes in the near future.

Lakers' mid-season struggles

The Lakers have been a subpar squad when either of LeBron James or Anthony Davis has missed games. Their ongoing three-game losing streak has been enforced by injuries to both stars as the team drops to 24-6 (0.800) on the season. AD is averaging impressive numbers in 27.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.7 swats per game, despite playing through shoulder and ankle issues. The team's success in the long term rides heavily on his fitness level.