Celtics Would Have to Give up Irving to Acquire Davis in Trade

Neither the Pelicans nor the Celtics are where they thought they’d be at this point in the season, and both will soon be looking for drastic solutions if things don’t turn around. As the most sought-after player in the league, Pelicans center Anthony Davis is often at the center of trade rumors (though he has publicly kept mostly mum) and with the Celtics on the prowl for a solution he has naturally entered the conversation.

Unfortunately, according to Dakota Randall of NESN, a trade of Anthony Davis to the Celtics literally cannot happen because of the slightly obscure “Rose Rule.”

I’ll let Randall explain the rule:

Introduced in the 2011 NBA-NBA Players’ Association collective bargaining agreement, the rule allows for players finishing their rookie contracts to sign for a higher percentage (30 percent, instead of 25 percent) of their team’s total salary cap if they hit any of three specific thresholds: MVP, two-time All-NBA Team selection or voted-on All-Star starter. The rule was named after 2010-11 NBA MVP Derrick Rose because he was the only player eligible to sign the extension when the criteria were introduced.

Sounds innocent enough, but here’s the kicker: NBA teams aren’t allowed to trade for two players signed using the Rose Rule. And Boston’s player in question? Kyrie Irving.

So until Kyrie re-signs with the Celtics when he becomes a free agent next offseason, Davis will be absolutely off limits. Unless, of course, the trade package includes Irving himself. And that will not happen (but hey, I’ve been wrong before).

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If Davis Moves Before July 1st, the Celtics Have No Chance

So as far as Anthony Davis trade rumors go, you can rule out the Celtics for now, barring some kind of earth-shattering trade that somehow includes Kyrie Irving (for some reason). What Celtics fans should be more worried about is what happens to Davis before July 1, 2019–the date on which Irving will be able to sign those papers and Davis will be fair game. If he somehow gets picked up by someone like the Lakers before then, the Celtics will have to kiss their chance goodbye.

But a lot can happen before then.

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