
USA Today via Reuters
Oct 29, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) looks towards the team bench after a play against the Sacramento Kings in the second quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

USA Today via Reuters
Oct 29, 2023; Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) looks towards the team bench after a play against the Sacramento Kings in the second quarter at the Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver decided to spice things up this season by organizing the NBA’s first-ever in-season tournament. Usually, during the start of the NBA season, it takes some time for the fans and the players to get into rhythm and fully invested in the regular season. But starting this year, fans will witness a competitive environment from the get-go because of the in-season tournament. The first-of-its-kind tournament is already underway and is set to culminate in a final, to be held on December 9th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Los Angeles Lakers superstar Anthony Davis, who recently inked NBA’s richest annual contract extension, got greedy on his in-season tournament goals and revealed its appeal to the players.
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Anthony Davis has greedy ambitions
Anthony Davis signed the NBA’s richest annual contract extension this summer with a whopping 3-year $186 million deal. That will tie him to the Lakers through 2028 and give him an average annual salary of $62 million. But The Brow is not satisfied with his historic deal. AD has his eyes set on winning the inaugural NBA Cup only for one reason. “I don’t think it’s the trophy, everybody loves money,” AD said when asked about his in-season tournament goals. The production value for the inaugural in-season tournament has been a treat to watch for the fans and the players.
Anthony Davis putting the ax to the root and channeling his inner Rod Tidwell when discussing the appeal of the NBA’s new in-season tournament from a player perspective pic.twitter.com/t5u8AWk8fH
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) November 8, 2023
The in-season tournament games are being played on newly designed basketball courts. They give the games a fresh look, and fans instantly know what they are getting into. Adam Silver has also set aside big prize money for the first-ever winners of the NBA Cup to keep the players motivated for the new initiative. Each player on the winning team will receive a massive $500,000 followed by $200,000 for the runners-up. According to Anthony Davis, players get more excited when this kind of money is at stake.
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Can the Lakers win the inaugural NBA Cup?
Although the in-season tournament is already underway, the LA Lakers are yet to play their first game of the tournament. LeBron James and Co. will face the Phoenix Suns in their first in-season tournament game on Friday. The Lakers have had a shaky start to the season, losing four of their first seven games. But they have not been at their full strength till now. Several players, including Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt, have been injured for most of the Lakers’ games.
Anthony Davis might also have joined the list of injured players for the Lakers. He suffered a hip injury during the Lakers-Heat game and missed most of the second half. AD’s status for the next game is questionable, and he might miss a few games. The Lakers would love to be the first team to win the NBA Cup and add to the legacy of their storied franchise. But that will only be possible if their roster is healthy.
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With the Lakers taking on the Rockets today, do you think they can get their season back on track?
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