Report: Anthony Davis, Pelicans agree to 5-year, $145M max contract extension
Anthony Davis has agreed to a five-year, $145 million max contract extension with the New Orleans Pelicans, a league source told Yahoo!/FOX Sports 1 NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Davis tweeted this just after the free agent period opened late Tuesday night: "NOLA, I am here to stay! Just getting started... #6MoreYears #TakeFlight"
NOLA, I am here to stay! Just getting started… #6MoreYears #TakeFlight pic.twitter.com/Kni8WpikEA
— Anthony Davis (@AntDavis23) July 1, 2015
The 22-year-old Davis is entering the final season of a four-year contract he signed after being drafted first overall out of Kentucky in 2012. He had until Oct. 31 to accept an offer or could have become a restricted free agent next offseason. The exact value of his extension can't be determined until the salary cap has been set next week.
Davis averaged 24.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks this season as he led New Orleans to a 45-37 record and the eighth playoff spot in the West. The Pelicans were swept by the Warriors in the first round despite Davis' averages of 31.5 points, 11 rebounds and 3 blocks.
New Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry called Davis "the best player in the NBA not named LeBron James."
The Pelicans have made no secret of their plan to build around the 6-foot-10 Davis, who is faster than most players his size, can score from inside and outside, and changes games defensively with his shot-blocking and rebounding.
He has been named an All-Star twice in his first three seasons. He also won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team in 2012 shortly after winning a national title with Kentucky, and led the Americans to another gold at the Basketball World Cup last summer.
Next season he'll be playing for Gentry, who has said he intends to introduce a faster-paced offense with Davis as the focal point. Gentry, who recently won an NBA championship as an assistant with Golden State, gained additional familiarity with Davis during the first round of the playoffs.
"We're going to play a lot faster and give (Davis) an opportunity to be in the open court," Gentry said last week. "He is our best player and a lot of things are going to be built around him. I think he's a real versatile player."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
