Lakers star Anthony Davis sat for his postgame interview Sunday with a pair of goggles he had worn from a champagned-filled NBA championship locker room cocked on his head when the inevitable query about his future with the workforce was raised.

When requested a two-part query of what this offseason may deliver for him, Davis rapidly responded with: “I don’t know.”

He smiled and shook his head a number of instances earlier than the second a part of the query got here concerning what the subsequent 4 or 5 years of his profession may seem like now that he has received his first NBA championship.

“Um, the primary query, I do not know,” Davis mentioned about probably turning into a free agent this different-looking offseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic season that was simply concluded with the Lakers defeating the Miami Warmth in six video games of the NBA Finals close to Orlando, Fla.

“The second half. Um, it’s simply a part of your legacy. To say you’re a champion, not all people can say that. The subsequent 4 or 5 years, you simply need to get higher and higher, maintain enhancing my sport and hopefully I can have this sense once more.”

Davis has plenty of choices this offseason, when he can turn out to be a free agent if he opts out of his contract, value $28.Eight million, for subsequent season.

Most NBA executives, who aren’t approved to talk publicly on Davis’ scenario, consider the seven-time All-Star ahead’s finest course is to decide out and signal a two-year take care of a participant possibility for the second season.

If he did that, Davis would turn out to be a free agent the identical time as LeBron James following the 2021-22 season.

James will earn $39 million subsequent season and will earn $41 million in ’21-22 — though he does have a participant possibility for that ultimate season. He additionally might be eligible for a contract extension as soon as the 2020-21 season begins, however James shouldn’t be anticipated to signal one.

Davis additionally has the choice of signing a five-year extension if he opts out. That contract may begin at about $40 million per season, however not understanding the place the wage cap can be set due to the monetary impacts of the pandemic most likely means he wouldn’t signal a long-term deal.

“I had a good time in L.A. this 12 months,” Davis mentioned, ultimately making a reference to his agent, Wealthy Paul. “This has been nothing however pleasure, nothing however amazement. Over the subsequent couple of months, we’ll determine it out. I imply, I’m not 100 % certain, however that’s why my agent is who he’s, and we’ll focus on it and determine it out.”

Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vp of basketball operations and normal supervisor, and Kurt Rambis, the workforce’s senior basketball advisor, have some work to do to assist L.A. push ahead for back-to-back championships.

Some gamers on the roster maintain choices like Davis, whereas some who helped them win a championship turn out to be free brokers.

Middle Dwight Howard, who was signed as a free agent final summer time when DeMarcus Cousins was injured whereas coaching, had a powerful season for the Lakers, however he’ll turn out to be a free agent.

Ahead Markieff Morris, who signed with the Lakers through the season after getting a buyout from the Detroit Pistons, is also a free agent as are ahead Jared Dudley and guards JR Smith and Dion Waiters.

Guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ($8.Four million), Avery Bradley ($5 million) and Rajon Rondo ($2.6 million) together with heart JaVale McGee ($4.2 million) can decide out of their contracts. Rondo, in line with one particular person conversant in the scenario, is prone to decline his possibility.

Beneath contract for subsequent season are guards Alex Caruso, Quinn Prepare dinner, Danny Inexperienced and Talen Horton-Tucker.

The Lakers can even look to enhance their workforce by means of the draft with their first-round decide, the 28th general choice. The NBA draft is predicted to be Nov. 18 if it isn’t delayed once more by the pandemic.

When the free-agency interval is ready for the offseason, they may also have the mid-level exception of about $9.2 million they’ll use to signal a number of gamers, the bi-annual exception of about $3.6 million and the veteran’s minimal wage that’s based mostly on years of service.

By placing collectively a workforce that received the Lakers their record-tying 17th NBA title, although, Pelinka and Rambis proved they’re as much as the duty.

This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Instances.