“$62 Million? 62 Million Dollars?”: Stephen A Smith Questions Anthony Davis’ $177 Million Extension

This NBA off-season has seen several big money moves and new contracts for key players. Lakers’ star center Anthony Davis made headlines after signing a $177 million three-year extension with the LA franchise. With this contract, Davis is set to earn an average annual salary of $59 Million. As crucial as this move might be, critics have lamented this deal for the Lakers due to Davis’ history of injuries.

Speaking to Paul George in a recent episode of his Podcast P, Stephen A. Smith questioned this max-extension that the Lakers have offered AD.

Smith was initially reluctant to speak about contracts signed this off-season. He didn’t want to badmouth any players before they got their payment. However, the ESPN host went off a tangent momentarily and talked about Anthony Davis’ $177 million max extension and its implications for the Lakers.

The contract will allow Davis to earn a $63 million annual salary in his last year, which will be the 2027-28 season. This proposition did not seem to sit right with Stephen A. Smith. Expressing his displeasure on the deal, Smith told George:

“Look bro, I love AD…$62 million? $62 million? Let me tell you something bro. His talent is worth it, his consistency is not.”

“He [AD] will show up one day, he will not show up the next. He will drop 40 in Game 1, 11 in Game 2. Now me? I’d much rather have you averaging 28-30, night in-night out. Rather than each and every night it’s like the damn roller coaster,” Smith added.

The First Take host clarified that he does not consider Anthony Davis to be a below-average player. For him, Davis is an elite player. However, given the center’s constant stint with injuries and fitness issues, Smith doesn’t think the Lakers did the right thing putting him on such a big payroll.

2x Super Bowl winner Damien Woody also expressed concerns for AD

The Anthony Davis contract extension has been much discussed and deliberated across American sporting circles. Many professionals and critics have questioned whether Davis could stay healthy throughout this contract.

Two-time Super Bowl winner Damien Woody was one of the foremost panelists to raise this question on First Take.

Over the last 11 seasons in the NBA, Davis has missed loads of games every season due to injuries. It’s pretty clear that the Lakers are willing to put Davis in a position to take up a lot of LeBron’s load. However, the real question is whether AD is ready to take the challenge.