The Los Angeles Lakers needed to lock up Anthony Davis for the future. LeBron James won’t play forever, and he’s inching closer to retirement as the seasons go by.
Davis has been a pivotal part of the team’s success. Nonetheless, as good as he’s been when they’ve fared well, he’s also been quite unimpressive when things don’t go their way.
That’s why Stephen A. Smith doesn’t seem to agree with the contract extension he just got, citing that you need to be consistent in the NBA to get that kind of money.
Stephen A. Smith Criticizes Anthony Davis’ Extension
“I love AD; love him as a person and a player,” Smith started. “$62 million, though? His talent is worth it, but his consistency isn’t. He’ll show up one day and not show up the next day. He’ll drop 40 in Game 1, 11 in Game 2. I’d much rather have you average 28 night-in night-out rather than each and every night; it’s a damn rollercoaster.”
“You had Charles Barkley calling him street clothes,” continued Smith. “I never called him that; I call him Six Flags because it’s a rollercoaster ride. He’s up and down. I’ve got mad respect for his game. I know he’s one of the elite players in this game today, but the consistency is not there.”
At the end of the day, Davis has more than enough talent and resources to prove the critics wrong. But he’ll have to work very hard to pay back that confidence the team put in him.