Davis is hoping to maximize his earnings.
Anthony Davis has been an MVP-caliber player this season and Los Angeles Lakers fans are incredibly happy that the team traded for him. Davis has a one-year player option on his contract that would extend him into the 2020-2021 season. He also had the option of signing a four-year, $146 million extension with the Lakers. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports, the Lakers offered Davis the max extension today although he chose to decline it. This means Davis will become a free agent at the end of the season and can sign with whomever he wants.
Lakers fans shouldn't worry too much about this news as it is simply a formality. As of the summer, Davis will be eligible for a five-year $202 million contract which is significantly more than the extension he was offered.
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Davis and LeBron James have had incredible chemistry this season and are looking like a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs. If these two can make a deep run together, it should be a foregone conclusion that Davis will want to re-sign with the Lakers. There have been rumors that he may want to go to the Chicago Bulls although for now, the team simply doesn't have enough pieces to be an attractive option.
Considering the circumstances, it's fair to say the Lakers were expecting this decision. For now, it remains to be seen how the summer will play out.