Getty New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis
It’s taken just a matter of hours for the Anthony Davis trade talks to result in rumors flying in from all possible angles. But while the Los Angeles Lakers have remained at the center of many of these reports, the latest insight may not leave fans of the Lake Show feeling all that great. While Davis has requested a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans, the trade deadline is right around the corner (February 7), and there’s an argument to be made that the Lakers need to get a deal done prior.
Although the discussions involving Davis could easily push into the offseason, Los Angeles and the many other teams interested would be wise to put their best foot forward right now. A key reason stems from the fact that the Boston Celtics will be able to get in the mix once July 1 strikes.
Currently, the Celtics are unable to acquire the star prior to the deadline as both Davis and Irving have designated player rookie extensions. In turn, they can’t be on the same team together for the remainder of this year. So for the Lakers, New York Knicks and many other options, pushing to do the deal now could be vital, although one analyst doesn’t believe that will be how things play out.
Lakers Offer Won’t Be Enough to Keep Pelicans From Waiting?
In arguably the most concerning chatter for Lakers fans that we’ve heard thus far, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski joined Golic & Wingo to discuss the trade situation. After first stating the Lakers would have to “give up everything” to make a deal for Davis happen (obviously an exaggeration), he made it known the Pelicans may opt to wait on Boston’s offer.
“At the same time, I don’t know that they’ll [Pelicans] be rushed into a deal here between now and the trade deadline unless something just so overwhelming comes to them. I don’t know if there’s any offer the Lakers could make that would make you say ‘we aren’t going to wait around to see what Boston could do.'” Wojnarowski stated.
Obviously, this is just an educated opinion currently, although it’s one that’s coming from a reporter with plenty of sources. There are also reasons to believe what’s being said, especially considering the Celtics could arguably create the best package of any team. They hold a number of young and talented players, along with draft picks that are going to draw a lot of interest.
Anthony Davis Reportedly Not Eyeing Celtics
This entire situation gets even more interesting after the recent report which came to light from Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports. As Haynes revealed, the Celtics are apparently not a top option for the Pelicans star at this point, which stems from concern over Kyrie Irving potentially leaving in 2019 free agency.
“Regarding team preferences, Boston is not a top target for Davis, sources said. There’s a growing belief of uncertainty that Kyrie Irving will not re-sign with Boston, sources said, even though he vowed to do so at the beginning of the season.”
If this is indeed the case, then Davis is likely hoping a deal gets done prior to the trade deadline. Assuming his target is the Lakers, there’s still no guarantee he’ll wind up in Los Angeles, but it’s a safe bet that Magic Johnson and company will do their all to push the deal forward.
The coming days will be telling for Davis and the Pelicans, but more specifically NBA fans may need to gear up for a wild offseason chase for the star, which would then include Boston.
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