Davis isn’t going anywhere, agrees to max deal with Lakers
Within days of trading for Anthony Davis, the Lakers carried an air of confidence that he would be sticking around. Despite having him under contract for only the next season, General manager Rob Pelinka said how excited he was to have Davis as “a pillar of this franchise for many years.”
It’s never been much in doubt that Davis’ future has been tied to Los Angeles. The question has always been this: When would he finally re-sign, and for how long?
A nearly two-week wait was finally settled early Thursday, as Davis agreed to a five-year maximumsalary deal, according to the Los Angeles Daily News. His new contract with the Lakers is valued at $32.7 million this season and $190 million over the life of the deal. The final year is a player option for the 2024-25 season.
Just a month and a half removed from their 2020 title, the Lakers now have their biggest stars, Davis and LeBron James, under contract and the foundation of a potential dynasty in place through 2023 and possibly beyond.
Davis, 27, was the star the Lakers needed to vault into championship contention last season. He averaged 26.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots on his way to earning first-team All-NBA honors for the fourth time. His postseason was even better, as Davis averaged 27.7 points and shot better than 57% from the field and 38% from 3-point range while anchoring the Lakers’ defense.
James announced a two-year extension through 2023 on Wednesday morning, a day ahead of his teammate locking down his long-term future.
MILLSAP RETURNS TO NUGGETS >> The Denver Nuggets have re-signed forward Paul Millsap to a one-year deal. Millsap has spent the last three seasons in Denver, averaging 12.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists and a steal in 159 games. Although Millsap, 35, played fewer minutes (24.3) last season than he had in any season since 2007- 08, he remained highly effective, averaging 11.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists while shooting a career-high 43.5% from threepoint range.
Baseball
SCHWARBER, BRADLEY, DUVALL AMONG 59 CUT IN PANDEMIC FALLOUT >> Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. were cut loose by the Chicago Cubs after helping the team win its first World Series title in more than a century, among a record 59 players who became free agents as part of the fallout from the coranavirus pandemic when their teams declined to offer them 2021 contracts by Wednesday night’s deadline.
Cincinnati reliever Archie Bradley, Atlanta outfielder Adam Duvall, Colorado outfielder David Dahl and Minnesota outfielder Eddie Rosario also were let go by their clubs, who did not want to allow those players to become eligible for salary arbitra
tion in February, which would have been their right had they been tendered contracts.
The total cut was one more than the previous high at the tender deadline, ahead of the 2004 season.
Soccer
VETERAN SALINAS EXTENDS STAY WITH EARTHQUAKES >> The San Jose Earthquakes signed midfielder Shea Salinas to a one-year contract with option to extend. Salinas, entering his 10th consecutive season with the Quakes and 12th season overall, is now the team’s longest tenured player currently under contract for 2021.
Salinas, 34, is a 13-year MLS veteran with 11 prior seasons in San Jose (2008- 09, 2012-20). Among all players in Earthquakes history, Salinas ranks first in assists (48) and second in appearances (292).
• Earthquakes goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski has been added to the U.S. men’s national team training camp roster. He replaces David Ochoa, who has been diagnosed with a right quadriceps strain. Marcinkowski, 23, has yet to make an appearance for the senior national team. The USMNT will host El Salvador on Wednesday in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
MINNESOTA UPSETS TOP- SEEDED SPORTING K.C. IN WESTERN SEMIFINALS>> Kevin Molino scored two goals in his third consecutive game — the second in the postseason — as fourthseeded Minnesota United defeated top-seeded Sporting Kansas City 3- 0 in the Western Conference semifinals at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
Molino became the third player in MLS history to score two goals in consecutive postseason games.
Minnesota advances to the conference final Monday in Seattle against the second-seeded Sounders.
College football
NO FANS FOR ROSE BOWL >> No spectators will be allowed at the Rose Bowl for the College Football Playoff semifinal on Jan. 1 because of COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the state, county and city of Pasadena. The
Tournament of Roses said Thursday that it requested special permission to allow for a limited number of spectators or a select number of guests of players and coaches at the 90,888-seat stadium but was denied.
The Fiesta Bowl will allow families of players to attend the Jan. 2 game at Glendale, Arizona, but no other spectators.
NO. 8 BYU TO PLAY NO. 14 COASTAL CAROLINA; LIBERTY OUT >> No. 8 BYU (9- 0) will play at No. 14 Coastal Carolina (90) on Saturday after the Chanticleers’ original opponent, No. 25 Liberty, was hit with COVID-19 issues.
Liberty said Thursday it has paused all team activities and will not play another regular-season game but does intend to prepare for a bowl game.
COVID news
GOLDEN GATE FIELDS TO EXTEND RACING SUSPENSION >> Golden Gate Fields has extended is suspension of live horse racing until Dec. 26, when its winter meet is scheduled to begin. The track has experienced a COVID-19 outbreak. Initially, the track was closed for a week to address the issue and then the closure was extended through the end of November.
Golf
KNOX HOLDS FIRST-ROUND LEAD AT MAYAKOBA GOLF CLASSIC >> Russell Knox shot a 6-under 65 at breezy and wet El Camaleon Golf Club to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour’s Mayakoba Golf Classic in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann was a stroke back with Emiliano Grillo and Tom Hoge.
HULL HOT IN CHILLY TEXAS >> Charley Hull fought through cold and windy conditions to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s Volunteers of America Classic. The 24-year- old Englishwoman shot a 3-under 69 at Old American Golf Club in The Colony, Texas.
Jessica Korda, Jennifer Kupcho and Pornanong Phatlum were a stroke back in the final event before the U.S. Women’s Open next week at Champions Golf Club in Houston.