One NBA reporter is claiming that Los Angeles Lakers small forward LeBron James is frustrated with power forward Anthony Davis.
Bill Reiter of CBS Sports said he’s heard that James is “over” Davis.
James and Davis have the same agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group. The two future Hall of Famers led the Lakers to the 2020 championship in their first year together.
However, Davis hasn’t been able to stay healthy since 2020. He’s also been inconsistent. There are some nights where AD looks like the best player in the NBA and then are other games where he looks like an average player.
Davis signed a five-year, $190 million contract with the Lakers in December 2020. The deal includes an early termination option in 2024 and will be fully up in 2025. The eight-time All-Star is eligible for a three-year contract extension worth about $167 million, but Dave McMenamin — who covers the Lakers for ESPN — doesn’t think Davis will get an extension.
“You hope Anthony Davis stays healthy and you get the best out of him next,” McMenamin said during a radio appearance. “But I don’t think they’re going to be in a position to be interested in a long-term extension for him this summer.”
Davis averaged 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 blocks this past season in 56 games while shooting 56.3% from the field, 25.7% from beyond the arc and 78.4% from the free-throw line. The Lakers made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals after starting the season 2-10.
Davis finished the 2023 playoffs averaging 22.6 points, 14.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 3.1 blocks in 16 games versus the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets. James, meanwhile, put up 24.5 points, 9.9 boards and 6.5 assists per game at the age of 38.
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