The Los Angeles Lakers have made the firm commitment to building the future of the franchise around Anthony Davis. It's a bold decision with LeBron James still on the roster, but head coach JJ Redick has gone all-in on the controversial vision.
Davis has thus far rewarded the Lakers' faith by turning in yet another All-NBA level season, but the clock may be ticking on his tenure with the franchise.
Davis is in his sixth season with the Lakers, and has already cemented his status as one of the franchise's best players of the 21st century. He's helped Los Angeles win a championship and make a second run to the Western Conference Finals while earning All-NBA and All-Defense honors.
Unfortunately, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports that it's not beyond the realm of possibility that Davis could leave Los Angeles once LeBron James retires.
"I wouldn't say it's inconceivable that he asked out, but I think he's been pretty happy in L.A. and I think he's aware of LeBron's plans. I also think if he wants out, I think the Lakers should just honor that because it's like at that point, if LeBron retires maybe it is best to rebuild and just keep your picks and then maybe at that point, they have kept their picks and just kind of punted on this season and next season. But I think if I had to lean one way, I'd probably lean toward AD staying, but I would not be surprised if he asked out."
That's a devastating report that could ultimately derail the Lakers' hope of securing a sustainable future with a franchise player at the heart of it.
Anthony Davis leaving Lakers is a possibility
It's easy to say that the Lakers are in the midst of a stretch that is seemingly testing the confidence Davis has in the franchise's future. The bigger picture, however, is that Los Angeles has struggled to build anything resembling a consistently successful team.
The Lakers won a championship in 2019-20 and reached the Western Conference Finals in 2022-23, but missed the playoffs in 2021-22, and lost in the first round in 2020-21 and 2023-24.
Injuries have played a factor, but the Lakers' front office shoulders a significant amount of the blame for the team's inconsistency. It traded first-round draft picks for Dennis Schröder and Russell Westbrook, but ended up parting ways with both players within two seasons.
Los Angeles also traded a first-round pick for D'Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt, who are both still on the roster, but are on the outer fringes of the team's starting lineup.
With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that the Lakers have struggled to create depth. They could've fleshed out the rotation with younger players on rookie-scale deals, but instead, they've been forced to resort to minimum-scale contracts.
In order to rectify this issue, the Lakers must stop holding back from moves that can sustainably improve the roster while balancing the long-term vision.
Thankfully, Davis is signed through the 2026-27 season, with a player option for the 2027-28 campaign. That gives Los Angeles time to right the ship and potentially provide Davis with evidence to support the belief that they can win another championship.
That will begin with a long-term vision that is honored with trades, free agency acquisitions, and a general willingness to embrace Davis as the franchise player.
