After signing $186,000,000 contract, Anthony Davis is being hailed as the future despite LeBron James going strong: "To become a leader of the Lakers"

Anthony Davis recently agreed to a three-year contract extension worth $182 million with the LA Lakers. He's currently signed to a five-year deal worth $189.9 million that's set to expire after the 2024-25 season.

Davis' new contract will immediately become active come the 2025-26 season and will end in 2028. That means Lakers fans will be seeing a lot more of AD in LA in the next five years.

LA Lakers GM Rob Pelinka recently talked about the importance of Anthony Davis on their roster. Pelinka revealed that he and Davis discussed the significance of his contract extension and how it would affect the big man's status as the leader of the Lakers.

While LeBron James is still the captain of the team, it's clear as day that the Lakers organization is now fully invested in Davis for the future:

"Jeanie, Darvin, and I are just probably most excited to get Anthony's perspective about what it means to do an extension like this and to become a leader of the Lakers for years to come," Pelinka said during an interview.

---

Did the Lakers make the right move by extending Anthony Davis' contract?

Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Three

Without question, Anthony Davis has played a vital role for the LA Lakers ever since he joined the squad in 2019. During his first season with the Lakers, he was able to notch his first ring and help bring LA back to its former glory.

Before Davis' arrival, LeBron James struggled to carry an inexperienced team all by himself.

While Davis was off to a hot start to his Laker career, things began to go south after their championship victory in 2020. AD struggled to stay healthy and missed a lot of games due to injuries.

His absence undoubtedly hurt the Lakers' chances of winning another title, let alone making it to the playoffs.

It's clear how important Davis is to the team, but does that mean he's deserving of an outstanding contract extension? His value as a player is undeniable, which makes him worthy of a hefty contract.

However, given his injury tendencies throughout the last three seasons, Davis looks more like a liability than an asset these days.

Fortunately, last season was a lot better compared to the previous two seasons in terms of his availability. Having said that, it's a relief to know that Anthony Davis still has the ability to remain injury-free.

If AD can consistently stay healthy in the next five years, then the Lakers' investment might end up being worth it after all.