Anthony Davis Plans to Opt Out and Re-Sign With Lakers – LA’s 2021 NBA Championship Odds Are +360

• Anthony Davis’ future has been all-but confirmed: he will opt out of his contract and re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers
• The Lakers sit at +360 to win the 2021 NBA title after besting the Miami Heat in the 2019-20 NBA Finals
• How will this news impact the Lakers’ title odds?

There was already an inevitability to Anthony Davis’ free agency, but an extension with the Lakers took another step towards reality on Thursday as Shams Charania reported of Davis’ intention to opt out and extend with the reigning NBA champions.

Davis’ decision confirms he will be alongside LeBron James for at least one more season. The Lakers were already favorites in the NBA championship odds, such was the confidence in Davis staying put. This avoids any uncertainty and bad blood that could have developed if this dragged on.

The table below has the latest odds for next season, with the Lakers leading the way ahead of their rival Clippers.

2021 NBA Championship Odds

Odds taken from FanDuel on October 15th

Davis’ Options

Like all superstars, Anthony Davis has options. He is in control of his future on and off the court, and he’s already wielded his power to force a trade. The Lakers will give him any deal he wants.

Per The Athletic, Davis and his agent Rich Paul will enter discussions with the Lakers in the coming weeks.

Two, three and four-year deals are all being considered – all would include a player option for the final year.

.@AntDavis23 is the first player to win:

🏆 NBA Title
🏆 NCAA Title
🥇 Olympic Gold Medal
🥇 FIBA World Cup Gold Medal

(h/t @AmeriCup) pic.twitter.com/xUVhMVy8Xl

— ESPN (@espn) October 15, 2020

A one-plus-one would give Davis the chance to be a free agent in 2021, the same year as LeBron James. This could be used as a means for Davis and James to hold the Lakers accountable and make sure the franchise is heading in the right direction.

James used these deals for that very purpose in his second stint in Cleveland, and they obviously share an agent. The relationship between the organization and players seems better in this case, however, perhaps suggesting Davis will go for more guaranteed money.

The happy medium could be the two-plus-one deal. This enables Davis to become a free agent after he has accumulated 10 years of service time, which makes him eligible for a 35% of the cap max contract. Kawhi Leonard took a similar deal with the Clippers last offseason.

Only @Lakers duos to win the NBA Finals while both averaging 25+ PPG in the postseason:

LeBron James (27.6 in 2020)
Anthony Davis (27.7 in 2020)

Shaquille O'Neal (36.3 in 2002)
Kobe Bryant (26.8 in 2002) pic.twitter.com/5vAnhvE2pu

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) October 12, 2020

Of course, the All-NBA center could simply go for the longest possible contract and the most guaranteed money, tying him to the Lakers for the foreseeable future.

Limited Odds Movement

With the Lakers already favorites, and by a considerable distance, to win the title next season, it’s unlikely this news will change their odds drastically. Strange things happen in the NBA, but Davis going elsewhere this offseason would have been one of the biggest shocks in the history of the league.

The betting markets were already working on the assumption that Davis would remain a Laker.

https://twitter.com/TheAssistHoops/status/1316790545231032326

Some will want to read into the length of the deal Davis eventually signs, but it’s unlikely to impact much. In some cases, a longer contract could make a front office relax, but that’s not going to happen with this Lakers team, and with a mid-thirties LeBron James.

There’s no question that the Lakers’ window is the next year or two, and they will continue to make moves to help them win in 2021. This ownership group is far more willing to pay the tax than others around the NBA, too.

Don’t expect to see the Lakers’ odds move any time soon. Only a big trade from a fellow contender could see their price lengthen – it would take something unforeseen for their price to shorten much.