Magic thinks A.D. stays in L.A., wouldn't mind if Luka joined originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Though there is technically the possibility Anthony Davis enters free agency this offseason, as he can opt out of the final year of his contract, Lakers legend Magic Johnson is confident he is not going anywhere.
Johnson joined ESPN’s ‘First Take’ this week and explained why it makes much more sense for Davis to stay with the Lakers rather than go to another team:
“Anthony Davis now is known across the world because of the platform of the Lakers. Then, him and LeBron [James] next season, they could repeat,” Johnson said.
“You don’t want to leave here, and not have a guy like LeBron James playing alongside of you because the same thing that happened in New Orleans would happen to Anthony Davis again. They make each other better, and then last but not least, when LeBron retires, he just says, ‘here Anthony Davis, it’s your team now, you go on and lead the Lakers to the next five to six championships.'”
Johnson makes some fair points, one being that Davis has a great setup with James to continue competing for titles. If he goes somewhere else, he will have to start over with no guarantees he will ever find a teammate as great as James ever again. Davis, of course, left the Pelicans last summer in a trade in part because he wasn’t happy with his supporting cast.
Take a look at the teams with cap room and Davis would have trouble finding a chance to contend for titles right away. It’s teams like the Hawks, Kings and Knicks that could afford him.
So, stay put, Johnson says and when James leaves, the Lakers can surround him with stars. They have long been good at attracting free agents, if that’s the route they choose.
One young star in particular was brought up by ESPN’s Max Kellerman: Luka Doncic of the Mavs. Doncic is not going to be a free agent anytime soon, but Johnson signed off on the idea.
“Luka come on to the Lakers, I like that,” Johnson said.
That should be no reason for Mavs fans to panic, at least not yet. And good thing Johnson doesn’t work for the Lakers anymore, because that sounds like tampering.
