The Pelicans plan to be as aggressive as possible when Anthony Davis is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, league sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The team’s contract offer could approach $140MM over five years, according to Stein, but the exact figure won’t be known until the maximum salary is determined this offseason since it is a product of the salary cap.
Davis was elected by fans to start in February’s All-Star game and is expected to earn a spot on an All-NBA team this season. If he reaches either of those milestones again next season, New Orleans can offer the 22-year-old a maximum salary deal starting at 30% of the league’s salary cap, as opposed to 25%, because of the Derrick Rose rule.
The team intends to present Davis with the biggest offer they can once the window for negotiations opens on July 1st and the two sides will have until October 31st to come to an agreement. If Davis signs an extension, it will become effective during the 2016/17 season.