Getty New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis and Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving
What lies ahead for Anthony Davis, the New Orleans Pelicans, Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and the rest of the NBA has fans strapped in and anxiously waiting. While there obviously can’t be any movement on Davis prior to the NBA offseason and the playoff push for teams begins on Thursday, it won’t stop the chatter from rolling in.
This is partially thanks to the NBA All-Star Game, which featured the Pelicans star addressing a wide range of topics relating to his trade request. Specifically, the fact that he openly stated that he “never said” the Celtics weren’t on his list after it was originally believed that Davis was locked on the Lakers. These comments came during NBA All-Star Media Day and ramped up the drama to another level when he revealed that all 29 teams are options.
But the Celtics situation stood out most, and The Athletic’s Sam Amick actually spoke to Boston’s star guard Kyrie Irving over the weekend about it. While Irving can opt to leave town if he wants as well, the 26-year-old seemed at least somewhat interested in the comments from Davis, as Amick wrote.
I asked Irving after Sunday’s game what he made of Davis’ adding of the Celtics to his list. “Oh, he did, did he?” Irving said. “I don’t think I have a comment on that right now.”
The ideal situation for the Celtics is obvious – re-sign Irving and trade for Davis while keeping enough talent to immediately contend with the star duo leading the way. And based on the team’s current depth, it’s not hard to envision that as a realistic possibility.
What Will Celtics Need to Trade for Anthony Davis?
It seems one key sticking point will almost certainly be the inclusion of Celtics forward Jayson Tatum. While there will need to be a number of draft picks and players sent to the Pelicans for Davis, Tatum was reportedly a big reason why New Orleans held off on a deal prior to the deadline. As Fletcher Mackel of WDSU revealed, the team wants the former No. 3 pick and believe they can get him in a potential deal.
But considering the offer that was turned down from the Lakers, there will need to be a number of additional pieces added to this trade beyond just Tatum.
The Lakers reportedly went as far as offering a package of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, Ivica Zubac, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and two first-round picks for Davis. Essentially, the team put together a deal which gave up almost every young piece of their current core. When that was turned down, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Pelicans wanted a “historic haul of picks” featuring four first-rounders.
It’s a lot to sort through, and Celtics general manager Danny Ainge surely knows what type of offer he’ll have to put on the table. But that still doesn’t mean the Pelicans will accept their offer, as the Lakers have plenty of assets and there are a few other teams that will be worth monitoring.
If the New York Knicks land the No. 1 overall pick, they could find themselves squarely in the mix for Davis. Beyond that, the Los Angeles Clippers also have the assets to create an intriguing offer and it’s likely multiple other teams will put packages on the table.
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