1:44pm: The Lakers let Demps know that one of their potential scenarios for Davis would include Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Ivica Zubac, and a first-round pick, a source tells Turner (Twitter link). ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne (Twitter link) hears that it’s “common sense to assume no one but LeBron James would be untouchable.”
1:33pm: The Pelicans and Lakers have connected on the phone to discuss Davis and are expected to talk again before next week’s deadline, tweets Wojnarowski.
Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times adds a few more details, reporting that Magic Johnson presented Demps with five different trade scenarios and is waiting to hear back from the Pelicans about which scenario would interest them the most (Twitter links). According to Turner (Twitter link), the Lakers want to get a deal done now, and don’t plan on trying to outbid the Celtics and other teams in the summer, when they plan to shift their focus to free agent targets.
10:39am: Although he’s getting back to other teams that have inquired on Anthony Davis, Pelicans general manager Dell Demps has yet to return the Lakers‘ call, according to a new report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe. While Demps is expected to eventually get back to the Lakers well before next week’s trade deadline, the “sluggish response time” is perhaps intended to send a message to the team.
As Wojnarowski and Lowe observe, the Pelicans may blame the Lakers in part for Davis’ trade request, and will want to show that they fully intend to make a deal on their own timeline, rather than at a time that would most benefit the Lakers. We relayed earlier today that the Pelicans plan to play the long game with Davis, and ESPN’s latest report reiterates that point, indicating that owner Gayle Benson is “enthusiastically carrying the small market banner,” resisting a union of AD and LeBron James in L.A.
New Orleans’ mantra so far, per Woj and Lowe, is that Davis is welcome to become a Laker in 2020 when he can reach free agency. If the Lakers are willing to wait that long, they’ll have to preserve cap room for an extra year, complicating their plans for the 2019/20 season.
It’s the latest in a series of “icy” receptions the Lakers feel they’ve received as they try to trade for star players. According to Woj and Lowe, the Lakers got the “unmistakable impression” last summer that the Spurs had no intention of ever trading Kawhi Leonard to L.A., though the Spurs simply said they weren’t interested in the Lakers’ package.
Here’s more from Woj and Lowe on the Davis situation:
- For now, Davis’ camp is treating any potential trade destination besides the Lakers as a temporary stop, since his plan would be to sign with L.A. in 2020. However, teams are curious to see if that stance softens after the trade deadline. It may be a leverage play to encourage a trade to the Lakers within the next seven days.
- Davis’ view of Boston is linked to Kyrie Irving‘s future, sources tell Woj and Lowe. Davis and his camp aren’t convinced that Irving will re-sign with the Celtics this summer. The Celtics believe they’d be capable of keeping both players long-term, as there’s a sense in Boston that trading for AD would help convince Irving to stay.
- Jayson Tatum is an important wild card for the Celtics — the ideal scenario for Boston would be to use other assets in an AD trade and build a Big Three of Tatum, Davis, and Irving. But if it helps convince the Pelicans to wait until the offseason to deal Davis, the C’s could tell New Orleans now that they’re open to moving Tatum. If they tell the Pelicans as much, they’ll have to keep their word in the summer to avoid damaging their league-wide reputation, Woj and Lowe note.
- The Pelicans continue to explore the market value of Nikola Mirotic, Julius Randle, and E’Twaun Moore, sources tell ESPN.
- Kristaps Porzingis would be reluctant to approve a sign-and-trade to New Orleans as part of a package for Davis, which could make things tricky for the Knicks, since the value of their 2019 first-rounder remains up in the air due to the lottery. If they’re willing to include Porzingis in an offer, they’d probably have to do so this week, before the precise value of their 2019 draft pick is clear.
- For the time being, Davis plans to play for the Pelicans again before the deadline, sources tell ESPN.
He said he wanted to go to a contender the 25-24 Lakers are not contenders
26-25* but still
Lakers been playing without LeBron, Lonzo, Rondo, and Kuzma for much of the last month. That’s 4 of their 5 best players. What did you think was gonna happen?
20-14 before Lebron got injured. Lakers are still contenders.
That’s not a contenders record
They’re one spot out of the playoffs…
That’s absolutely a contender.
A title contender? No.
The West contenders at this point are Golden State, Golden State and Golden State. Houston, OKC and denver are sleepers. That’s it.
Lebron is always a title contender. He’s made the finals like the last 7 years in a row. Playoffs are a lot different than regular season.
I see what you’re saying tho. It’s a major long shot they even move passed the first round but hey anything can happen that’s why it’s fun
LeBron didn’t have to play a murderers row in the East. Think about it. In the playoffs potential opponents are OKC with Westbrook and George. Houston with Harden, Paul and Capela. Denver with Jokic and Murray(probably the weakest contender) and GS with their lineup. I mean you could possibly throw in SA as a team who could knock them off but that’s more because it’s Pop and not the talent. And that’s before the Finals. The currently constructed Lakers are not a contender for a title in the West. Trading all of their potential for AD sets them up for next year but still puts them far away for this current year.
And that’s the Lakers only chance until FA. Because honestly if Boston looks like they can win a title, Davis would sign there. If Toronto looks like they could win it all, he would sign there. The notion that he would only sign with LA is being put out by agents. And it’s Rich Paul. LeBrons guy. Why would he put out anything else?
Instead of writing a book, just accept that Rockets are struggling, and Lakers with AD are just as good…
Infact Milwaukee & Toronto are prob better than every team not named GSW in the west… Can prob say same about Boston… Times change
Does reading many words hurt you? Is that why you don’t present a decent argument. Houston is struggling. Without Capela and Paul on the floor. Don’t you think that changes when they return? And this years milwaukee team is better but last years wasn’t better than Cleveland. Last years Toronto wasn’t either. Which was the construct of the argument. Simply adding AD would make the Lakers better than most teams. Subtracting the depth they had as they would for all other teams makes them likely still a bottom 4 seed in the West where he has to play teams with multiple star level players before the Finals. They wouldn’t reach it, plain and simple.
Lucid brevity.
You lost me at “Think about it”. I’m not here for the beer.
LOL
Imagine thinking a team with lebron on it isn’t a title contender
Lol right. Like LeBron & AD would be scared of anyone .. especially if they somehow keep Zo
I love how you throw in Lonzo like he’s relevant. A team built around LeBron and AD would need shooters (like LeBron always has on his title teams). Having guards like Rondo and Ball who can’t shoot better than my 12 year old cousin doesn’t fit LeBron’s title winning teams. Every title he’s won has included an elite guard. wade and Irving
Which also means the Knicks should have zero shot. They’re terrible, and trading Porzingas and a top three pick this year would just make them terrible but with Anthony Davis.
Pels arent trading to make AD happy ffs
Theres going to be a lot less on the table next year. Teams will just wait till the all star break. The best offer will come from a meh team that he wont resign with. Also NO is just a bad team. If they drag Davis down, will they ever be able to sign big free agents?
New Orleans is just as bad? How do you figure? They have an AS caliber 1 or 2 depending on how you look at Holiday. E’Twuan Moore is shooting 41% from three. Mirotic is 16 and 8, Randle is almost 20 a game and Elfrid Payton is a good role player. Honestly the Pels are a FA/trade or draft pick away from being a good team with Davis on the court. The issue is they have little depth. I mean honestly I don’t see how NO who struggles in the West is near as bad as NY who are drowning in the East. Albeit without their star as well.
With Lebron they were the 4 seed.
With Lebron, they were not the 4 seed, they were in the 1st third of the season. You don’t become the 4 seed until after 82 games have been played.
The Lakers haven’t been to the playoff in 5 years. That’s not a contender. Dell Demps has worked with Coach Popovich, and Pop is saying don’t send him to Lakers, small market teams don’t like the Lakers. Somebody said AD might not be as high on his list because Kyrie might not sign. For February 7, I read today the Pelicans are considering shutting down AD for the season to keep his value. They took him out of their team video to keep fans from booing. Jrue Holiday got a huge ovation last night since he’s their best player now.
Like Woj said, if the Celtics get AD, it should more likely guarantee Kyrie signing. After Playing with Kyrie for a year, he should want to stay, like Paul George and Russell Westbrook.
Pelicans considering shutting down AD is on Yahoo.
Ptn- 5 years ago does not matter. James’ teams are contenders come playoff time. Evidence for that is broad & includes the opinions of your TV talking-head heroes. Your opinion is as irrelevant as anyone else’s, probably moreso.
Ptn- Your position on the NOP FO is validated in this article though… Woj & Lo, lol:
“…owner Gayle Benson is “enthusiastically carrying the small market banner,” resisting a union of AD and LeBron James in L.A.”
He is going to a contender. If he goes before the deadline they can make some noise in the West. They won’t win a championship this year but they would absolutely compete. Not to mention they would theoretically clear enough cap to get them Klay of Kawhi or someone elite this summer. And then they go from middle of the pack pre Davis. To contender but not all the way there with Davis…to one of the favorites if they land the 3rd star. GM’s have plans in place, they aren’t just blatantly making moves and then trying to figure out what to do next. Except with the exception of Dell Demps
Love your username!
*jewishman
Lots of replies for @jewishman! I count 8 of 12 opining posters opposing his thesis. I like stats.
3.5 games out of the #5 spot is still a contender. Of course 3/4 of the conference is still “contenders” though.
They ain’t going nowhere even if they make the playoffs.
A contender for the title? No. Every year people say if you get to the playoffs, anything can happen. Except every year, GS faces little threat. Oh we almost got something different last year. But didn’t. And Cleveland was the 1 seed some years and others they weren’t. Still didn’t stop them despite them being inferior in the regular season. Barring injury, GS is going to the Finals. If the Lakers get to the WCF, AD or not they get shellacked.
Boo hoo lakers. If the nba wont do anything about lebrons blatant tampering, then demps is the hero we need.
Hero? To whom? The pelicans fans who aren’t going to win a championship this year or next..
I’d say he’s a villain because the rest of the country wants to see LeBron & AD paired up.
Would be funny if Lakers just sign Kawhi and Pelicans never get an offer close to what Lakers would be offering now.
Zero percent chance Kawhi goes to the Lakers.
Zero.
Your final answer?
Lol rest of the country, not that many lakers fans.
NO could get a better package from….most teams. If this collective of players was so valuable, LA wouldn’t be dumping them.
And remember when George was for sure going there? Now supposedly kyrie is? And kawhi and AD? This kind of shows how delusional some people are.
You want hardball, big man? Have a seat over there while the Pelicans play guys who want to play for them. Why should they spend minutes, which are the working capital of the team and a way to build their (not AD’s) future, on a guy who is leaving? Teams have more leverage than some players think. Give him the Enes Kanter treatment.
Then why not trade him?
Face it, their best players and “future” are the guys they get in return for AD.
Pretty sure AD would laugh about them having to pay him 19Mil to sit on the bench anyways. He’d prob prefer to sit out than to play with them anyways.
Roster
Should be the last call he makes. Take in everyone else’s offer. Then let the Lakers know they can wait 2 years or pay a ransom.
Happily pay the ransom lol..
Won’t pay ransom in off-season with more options for Lakers, and Pelicans will have to robbed the rest of America from seeing the LBJ-AD connection.
That said I’d be shocked if they don’t take Ingram, Kuz, Hart, Zubac, KCP & a 1st.. no one else is going to offer anything close
I think ingram or kuz and lonzo not both or all three.
Notice I didn’t list Zo…
I’d personally cry if they trade Zo..
Ik .. I’m weak. Wtvr. Love that kids game tho.
Oh NVM.. i disagree… We got Beas and can scoop Melo… Not worried about replacing forwards on a team that has LeBron.
Prob 3 years until Ingram hits prime.. aka LeBron will be retired
Haha. Magic has offered Ball, Kuzma, Ingram, and Zubac, plus 1st round pick (would need another $5mm to make trade work) according to LA Times. Guess your evaluation of Laker players and others is different from NBA guys.
According to Brad Turner Of L.A. Times. Johnson made 5 proposals to Demps and wants a trade by February 7, he has no inclination to get into a bidding war with Celtics. One does include Ingram, Ball, Zubac, Kuzma, and 1st pick (along with cap filler) for AD. lmao. Celtics reporter said yesterday Celtics are in win-win situation. They get AD, they win. If not, Lakers will have to give up their entire core. They still win. lmao.
Reportedly lakers still win with or without ad. Simply the fact that celtics can gut there team and we get ad the following year. Agent and house are already here so theres really nothing to worry about from our perspective. Id be more worried about you losing kyrie then getting ad
The offer they made was Kuzma, Zo, Ingram and Zubac with picks. They’d still likely have to add KCP for salaries to work. And then if that’s true, they have lebron, Hart, AD and??? Oh sorry I forgot lance would still be there.
Contender? Playoffs- yes, maybe. Championship? No, not even kinda sorta.
LeBron has beaten GSW with worse…
Exactly!
Ones
Once
idk man I mean I don’t think anyone on GSW can cover Davis and Lebron and if they can pull off a LeBron move like add a korver (3pt shooter) then I could see Lakers team lead by Davis,Beasley,Lebron,Stephenson.Rondo … putting it to GSW.
Igoudala on James Cousins on Davis. Easy
cousins way to slow for davis…
so your saying line up for GSW would be
green at c or cousins ?.. Durant at PF , iggy at the 3 , klay at the 2 and curry at the 1… green is not doing anything against davis .. and if you bench iggy in favor of playing both green and cousins together then Durant can not contain james … so I don’t think its that easy as you say.
NO would be stupid to trade with LA. Look where the players they’d acquire ended up last year. Kuzma, Ingram and Ball get you right back to the lottery. They were not
Good last year and without LeBron it’s more of the same. I’m not trading a top 5 player and future HOF’er unless I’m getting sure fire talent or a hoard of top notch draft picks.
If they were able to dump Solomon during this process they’d have the cap space to add a significant FA.
Fact is, Davis’ time in NO is comparable to that of Garnett’s in Minnesota. They never gave these guys anything to compete in their conference. The Pelicans never had playoff success in Davis’ tenure and aren’t looking like they will in the future. This falls squarely on Demps. He put these teams together. Davis gave 7 years of playing his butt off for the fans and the franchise. He requested a trade now and told the Pels of his intentions in part to better his career but also give the Pels the needed time to make the best deal to set up their franchise for success in the future. Haters need to get a grip. When the 15th man on a roster gets cut it’s because ‘this is a business’ well things work both ways. All the haters can stick it. He went through 7 years of garbage in NO. Enough is enough. He has the right to seek better employment
Yes, a team headlined by AD should have made the playoffs more than 2 out of 7. They royally screwed up with Cousins. NO needs thus rebuild, clean house roster coach front office. Build something that isn’t so pressured. They literally got AD and instead of building around him the right way they traded every asset for 7 years to get instant success, of which they got none. AD is a hero for dealing with a train wreck for 7 years.
Maybe these players shouldn’t b saying where they wanna go out loud keep in house and maybe let the old team get as much as they can for them … instead of screwing up their leverage ..
LA is a sinking ship. Ball and Ingram aren’t worth any all star in the league. LeBron is 34 years old and hurt. He is only getting worse over the next few years (although if he won MVP next year I wouldn’t be surprised). Magic is a sub-par GM who lucked into LeBron wanting to play in LA no matter what.
Their only hope is for a free agent to sign this summer.
How’s celtics gonna have AD Kyrie and Hayward all on max deals and keep anyone? think they trade those picks to unload him at some point?
So they aren’t talking because at 1340 CT they still haven’t spoken. They being Johnson and Demps. If Johnson is still waiting to hear back then they aren’t talking. Weird to change the wording of this story to they are now talking if it’s the only team Demps isn’t responding to in regards to trade offers.
Lakers going to sell the future for Davis and hope to land Kawhi In the off season
If not Kawhi, kyrie/klay and after that Ariza, Danny green, Tobias Harris like guys. Should be plenty of talent and money to fill in the roster
I think klay is a better fit than Kawhi with LBJ and AD. Klay plays off the ball, Kawhi and LBJ would compete for touches.
Agreed but beggars can’t be choosers
The funny part is tatum isnt as good as ingram or kuzma and the fact that lakers will give up both right now you do the trade and tank for another lottery pick in zion or barret. Holding onto davis only helps your team win games and potentially injure davis just to wait for celtics low ball offer? Lmao okay
Do you watch basketball?
Says the celtics fan lolz, playing in the east with kyrie for a whole season.
@imindless gets the Westcoast news. He doesn’t get Eastcoast and the Celtics are on too early to watch.
Again we have known this for years east is bad like real bad to the point where if therr wasnt east and west only 2/3 east teams would be in playoffs. Again ptn is celtics/lebron hater with little knowledge of the game. Lakers games on to late for the east coaster yet they act like the east are the best players lol!!! Im gonna enjoy my team winning rings before yours ptn. Waitin for that woj bomb to silence your ignorance.
I think Tatum is more promising as player than both, but the reality is Ingram and Kuzma have outplayed him on average over the full sample size.
What I saw from Tatum in the playoffs as a rookie was the makings of a super star. I just wonder if he can ever get the opportunity playing in the shadow of a guy who needs the attention more than he wants to win.
Tatum can be great, but there’s nothing stopping Ingram and Kuzma from also reaching their full potential and beyond if given the right opportunity.
^ @ptn18
The Pelicans are telling the Lakers if you want AD, you can sign him in 2020. You’ll have to save the cap space (and then have to sign a boatload of players at minimum, along with knowing LeBron can opt out in a year if things don’t go well). My wishlist: AD to Boston, signs longterm with Kyrie. Porzingas to Golden State for Draymond Green. Porzingas, Durant, and Thompson sign with Golden State. Brooks and Robin Lopez want a championship, sign for minimum with Warriors. Cousins re signs. LeBron goes on his show bawling saying why doesn’t anybody like us?
UCH!!! Githerdone, Magic. How hard can it be? You take anything you want except lebron… done! If they don’t get this done this week, I don’t think it’s gonna happen later. The deal isn’t going to get better. If they want something else, that’s their right I guess… Kuzma, igram, ball, Wayne Gretzky… you can have everyone!!! What’s to talk about?
Don’t like the deal for the Lakers. I like Davis, but think he would be an awesome focal point on a team that includes the players that he’s be traded for. LeBron is the guy that doesn’t fit in LA from a basketball standpoint, not the 4 young players being shipped out.
I wish James Jones was on this team just so that they could get a mixed up report out that the deal is confirmed, James is part of the deal. They they call it off when Demps says he thought he was getting LeBron James not James Jones.
I want what you’re smoking. Ingram and ball are busts. Kuzma is good, but AD with the best facilitator in the league sounds enticing.
I can see how this plays out now; Pels wait for Boston, Lakers give up on AD this offseason because they know they can’t beat Boston’s offer, which because the Lakers gave up just got a lot worse than what the Lakers are currently offering. Sweet justice. You might stab yourself in the foot Demps. And then AD signs with Lakers in 2020.
Pelicans have ALL the leverage. Ask for whatever you want. Lakers say “yes”, great – get it done. If not, wait for summer. Brad Jones and LA times weak attempt at “fear of loss” is laughable (“shift focus to free agents”).
Did the Spurs turn down LALs entire roster too? I mean they could have flipped some of those guys.
Just saw live on sportcenter, woj with the bomb! Davis has notified teams interested he will be signing with lakers in 2020 regardless of what happens this year and half. Also said that pels and lakers are progress towards a deal that could be completed this weekend. Sorry ptn18
Also been reported if lakers dont trade for ad now they would be trying to outbid celtics in summertime as ad will sign here in 2020 and lakers will shift focus towards other free agents this summertime! Either way we win!
The wont be bidding with celtics*
Can’t the Celtics offer a better package than LA?
They can and likely will. Also, anyone with a top 3 pick in the coming draft can offer a better package than the Lakers.
Just an observation…listening to local sports radio in LA, they are trashing the Pelicans for dragging their heels to make a trade. It’s as if it did not occur to them that maybe Pelicans prefer to wait for the Celtics offer? The arrogance of these local radio jocks has no limits.
A team with the top pick theoretically has a better trade package if they also have some young players to throw in.
The Celtics have the best overall rebuilding package with Tatum, Brown, and 3 picks to offer.
The Lakers have the second best trade package with a pick and 3 solid young rotation guys. Lonzo, he might be an all-star in a few years. Kuzma already a professional scorer. Ingram mostly disappointing, but I get the appeal since he’s only 21.
Nope. Not if the Pels know what they’re doing. Quality over quantity. Age and controllable and cheap years over a marginally better player right now. It’s the top two pieces that matter.
Only Tatum among both the Laker and Boston players is arguably equal to a top 3 pick in this draft. Simple question: what player among those would be traded for top 3 pick? Nobody else is close. Phx and Orlando have a stated interest in Ball but not for their pick if it’s even top 10. Kuzma is a good skilled offensive player, but he’s not close to worth it either. Ingram is questionable since he’ll be looking for a big extension before suiting up with the Pels.
The second piece is important too, but each of the Bulls and Knicks can add a RSC (Carter and Knox) with 3 cheap years left.
Other pieces can be draft picks. Lakers’ picks aren’t as valuable as Bulls, Knicks or the Celtic non-Celtic picks.
So, Boston and LA may have what you consider the best players, but they are not better assets. If they are, use them all to get an unprotected pick from two of the teams with a reasonable chance at a top 3 pick? Boston might be able to. LA won’t get one. Those rebuilding teams won’t value quantity either.
No one is giving a top 3 pick or tatum for 1 year of davis! Lmao are you mentally challenged? Thats why lakers offer us the best
Agree with a lot of what you are saying, but I think we just disagree on the value of a top-3 pick in THIS draft.
I think many people would trade the 2nd or 3rd pick in the 2019 draft for Lonzo and possibly Ingram depending on how they view him. You have to remember, Ingram is only 21 and some people still view his potential as untapped.
You aren’t wrong about future picks being more valuable than the Lakers, totally agree. Also agree that Carter and Knox are interesting, but neither has shown anything that comes close to what Tatum showed last year.
Enjoyed reading your breakdown, made me think a bit about how creative the Pelicans could get if they can add a 3rd team and also open up Holiday / Mirotic / Randle for inclusion in deals.