The Pelicans will not be rushed into dealing superstar Anthony Davis. The team released a statement this afternoon, confirming that Davis’ representatives had informed the organization that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension and thus wanted to be dealt.
At least publicly, New Orleans’ front office isn’t going to be pressured into dealing Davis before the February 7th deadline. It will make a trade “on our terms and our timeline,” according to the statement. This confirms the earlier report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Pelicans don’t want to deal Davis this season.
The statement also declared the franchise “will not be dictated by those outside of our organization.” That could be interpreted as a veiled threat to LeBron James‘ and Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, since the Lakers are considered as the most likely destination. The organization also requested that the NBA strictly enforce its tampering rules prior to any deal.
The full statement reads as follows:
“This past weekend, Anthony Davis’ representatives informed us that Anthony does not wish to sign a contract extension with our team and subsequently has requested a trade. Although we are disappointed in this decision, our organization’s top priority is to bring an NBA championship to our city and fans and build our team for long-term success. Relative to specific talks of a trade, we will do this on our terms and our timeline. One that makes the most sense for our team and it will not be dictated by those outside of our organization. We have also requested the League to strictly enforce the tampering rules associate with this transaction.”
Geez, Lakers pieces may be hard to pass up on especially if they offer the bank for AD.
If you are NOP, it makes way more sense to bottom out and go full rebuild.
With that in mind, are you gonna take back a Laker package that makes you an average (at best) team with guys that are all gonna need to be paid in a few years or are you gonna seek either one franchise-type player and/or high draft picks?
The move is deal the guys you have now that have value (Randle, Mirotic, Holiday) and basically shut Davis down for the year.
This way you head into the summer with assets, your own high lottery pick and your pick of offers to choose from. The aim should be to start over from scratch, not to just go .500 year after year.
This makes sense honestly trade all your win now players and stock pile picks for this and next years draft and have an even better squad than currently constructed.
Unless LA wins a championship or Davis decides to retire, the Lakers are going to the mattresses to get Davis. LeBron will make sure of that.
I mean I have no doubt that rich Paul would be ecstatic if his two biggest clients were on the biggest franchise in the league. So I wouldn’t doubt if there wasn’t a little bit of planning involved if i were being completely honest.
Time for AD to get fitted for purple and gold!!!
Soon we’ll be hearing, “I won’t sign an extension with whomever you trade me to”. It’s about to get ugly.
I agree, but if you’re the Pelicans and you didn’t see this coming, you shouldn’t be running a team.
In my humble opinion, if a guy requests a trade, he doesn’t get to choose where he goes. He can run his mouth about not signing extensions if he’s traded to this place or that place but it might not matter to a team that is an AD type player away from being a title contender this season (someone like Portland for instance).
I’d like to read about smaller market teams (i.e. anyone besides the Lakers and Knicks) getting in on this possibility much in the same way N.O. did when Sacramento dealt Boogie to them.
Then, when he’s an unrestricted free agent, he can sign wherever the hell he wants.
Then how about this for small market trade:
Minnesota gets: Davis and Holiday
New Orleans: Wiggins, Okogie, Gibson, Bayless, 2020, 2022 and 2024 1st round picks.
So minnesota’s garbage for a hof player and an allstar player. why dont you add deing contract too? i wouldnt trade holiday for wiggins straight up.
the first roynd picks will be worth nothing with kat, ad, and holiday on team.
It wasn’t a serious proposal…
No team in their right mind in trading for Wiggins. Wolves are stuck with him and the max for at least a couple years and probably the duration.
The reason I font agree with you is because of the player we are talking about. AD has been an ambassador for the team, has always promoted the team, and the team hasn’t put the players around him to be honest. He also came to the team privately and respectively and asked for a trade, weeks after the media pushed girbit. In this situation you do what’s right by the player. The Irving situation in Cle, I would’ve agreed with you. But this situation, do what’s right by the player who has done what’s right by you.
I mean, I kinda think that they’ve mutually done each other a solid. I think NO tried to give him support when they dealt for Cousins but he blew out his Achilles. That is no ones fault and it hurt their depth a lot.
Oh, and they’re paying him a lot of $, so there’s that too.
When guys are under contract I’m of the mind they should honor the terms they signed for. It’s fine that he requested a trade, that’s his prerogative, but under no terms do I think they are beholden to trade him only to a place he approves. He ain’t got an NTC.
“if a guy requests a trade, he doesn’t get to choose where he goes”
Because athletes aren’t entitled to choose where they want to work, or who they want to work for? Come on.
Davis is entitled to say he won’t re-sign. He’s a man, not a piece of property.
Davis is not a piece of property but his contract is and can be traded to any team without his permission. So does everyone involved in the trade need to approve of it, or just the superstars? Should every contract come with a no trade clause? Davis is entitled to say whether or not he will sign an extension which may limit the teams in on him, but does not allow him to choose his new team.
Good for them! I hope they stick to it. Lots of teams watching. If they set an asking price, and its reasonable, then I think they’ll get it. It’s not about what they want to trade or even what they have. A guy like this, it’s incumbent on the teams that want him to go get the assets the Pels want.
If AD isn’t traded by February 7, and Luke Walton isn’t fired, we’ll know Rich Paul and LeBron aren’t going to walk all over these people like they did Dan Gilbert.
Ball, Kouzma, and 2 first rounders from Lakers
For a player making 11,12 million tops. Who do you suggest? AD doesn’t fit.
Trying to be polite, but trading for Davis means a lot of Lakers head for the other LA.
Lakers do not have the assets to entice an immediate move from the Pels. If the Lakers should/must offer them whatever they want aside from Lebron it doesn’t add up to much. Kuzma & Ingram will never be what AD is. Lonzo is going to be often injured, while Hart, Zubac are utility players. Late round draft picks and above players don’t add up to what the Celtics can offer. They have Tatum, Jaylen Brown & Smart, Rozier etc with high quality draft picks. If Boston makes a decent offer Pels should take it. I think Rich Paul wants to steer him to Lakers/Lebron but Celtics have banners & Rings so they have a shot.
Lmao your a celtics homer. Kuzma > tatum ingram > brown, lonzo > rozier, hart > smart. The list goes on and numbers back this up….if lakers have little chance so do the celtics, there only saving grace are the pics the have coming. I also dont see ainge giving up everything for 1 year of ad just to have him walk over to the lakers the following year.
Also when was celtics last ring? Lmao 10 championships in the 50/60’s 7 since the 70’s lakers have 10 since mid 80’s 11 if you count the 70’s chip lmao
When’s the last time the Lakers made the playoffs? It was the Celtics team with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo that knocked LeBron and the Cavs out and won the championship against the Lakers.
Agreed. If I’m NO I’d take a package of Boston’s young pieces over LA. Tatum and Brown showed they can come up big in playoff series already
Laker fan here, and I’ll agree with you that Boston has the better assets. However, timing isn’t on their side. The longer the Pelicans wait, the less they’ll get.
It’s Ball, Ingram, Hart and two 1st round picks for AD.
Doesn’t work on trade machine.
The only problem is if the Pelicans (they shouldn’t, but sometimes it’s best to trade high and know what you’re going to get) trade him now, the Celtics can’t offer much of that and HAVE to trade Kyrie to get him.
It’s all in how they look at it. Should they deal him now for a guaranteed return and know what you’re getting from the Lakers? Or should you hang on to him into the offseason, hope he doesn’t get hurt, and hope that his value is still high enough (and the Celtics picks good enough) that’s it’s better than what the Lakers can deal you today?
You’ll never really know what’s better, but if they hold, they are hoping the Celtics are actually WILLING to give up all that stuff. We don’t know if they are, we have a pretty good indication the Lakers would trade anything not-named LeBron right this second for AD.
If you could evaluate players with open eyes you would realize the lakers players are overrated and will not draw interest from NO. They really are not what Celtics can offer, it is that simple unless you’re a Laker homer. I live in Santa Monica my insipid friend. So much for the Celtic theory and how is Lonzo doing? Will he be back before April?
Rich Paul is pulling strings but AD changed agents last summer for this to happen. Quote from his agent!
AD believes he’s the best player in the game so failing to earn another All-Star start makes languishing with a loser
untenable. AD’s been telling us without telling u s
He’ll be a Laker no matter what You armchair GM’s say…How can you not see that?
If NO trades him, would AD be able to sign a supermax with his new team? If not, could they just sit on him until his contract expires, thus costing AD ~40 million or so?
*while also wasting two years of what’s left of Lebron
He can’t sigh the supermax with his new team until 3 years in I believe (like KD couldn’t until this offseason). So it’s not costing him any money because once he opted out after 2020, he’d be signing the same deal he’d be signing anyway (4-year max deal).
Pistons. Go.
Pels can streamline this by setting parameters. I think these make sense. 2 players and 2 picks, replace the 1st round picks the past 2 seasons Pels haven’t made (nobody older), and get a top pick in 2019 (to go with theirs) and a remote lightly protected pick in 2022.
Celts:
Tatum
Williams
2019 Top 5 pick
2022 1st (protection 1-8/1-4/none)
Lakers:
Ball
Wagner
2019 Top 3 pick
2022 1st (protection 1-8/1-4/none)
Knicks:
Knox
Ntilikina
2019 Top 3 pick
2022 1st (protection 1-8/1-4/none)
It’s going to take more than that from every team on the list. It’s going to probably take Ball & Ingram or Kuzma, or hell maybe both. Celtics can’t make that trade until this offseason because of Kyrie and that’s a non-starter from NY without Porzingis.
Your “more” sounds like less. If the goal is to build a contender, a LOT less.
Celtics, Lakers, Knicks – all of these parameters are for trades that can only be made in the offseason – obviously – since each requires knowledge of the 2019 draft order.
On the Laker parameters, if the Pels prefer to acquire Ball, Kuzma and Ingram (and low level picks) vs either Ball or Kuzma and a top 3 pick, then the Lakers will rejoice. It explains a lot the Pels; they’re clueless as to how to build a team. Years of control and age matter. Establishing your own culture does too. Why would the Pels have to deal with 3 above average starters (at best) looking for 100 mm extensions in the next 18 months before the Pels have any chance to get deep into their process. I’m essentially requiring the Lakers to use five assets I don’t want (Kuzma, Ingram, Hart and the 2019 and 2020 1st round picks) to go out and acquire a 2019 top 3 pick. Won’t be easy, and will likely take at least 3 of those 5 assets. Zion, Morant or Barrett with 4 years of control is what a smart team would want. Not a Ingram asking for 100 mm before playing a game.
Knicks won’t include KP because acquiring Davis makes no sense without KP there. If the Pels consider that a non-starter, then, again, it’s evidence they don’t have a clue. KP isn’t even a good asset for them, except to flip. A top 3 pick is what they should want, along with back fill from the last two drafts they sat out. Knox is an elite talent at combo F and only 19 with 3 more years of control. Ntilikina is a still an athletic freak and 20 years old with 2 more years of control.
Boston is the only team with a player that is as valuable as a top 3 pick (Tatum). That’s why I only required them to add a top 5 2019 pick, vs the other two needing to add a top 3 2019 pick. Much easier. They can do this with their existing picks or with Brown and one or more of them.
None of those salary-wise, even close. Maybe you assume the player called “salary for matching” will be added but the Lakers for one, do not have that guy.
Tatum, Smart, Williams & Bird works for matching, & prob the top pick 2019, might do it.
They were just the parameters I would set going in to put some discipline on the process. Tells suitors to talk to me in these terms, not theirs, or risk wasting everyone’s time. Any eventual deal would certainly have other things (which would have to balance) and there would have to be matching contracts or (since its the off season) contributed cap space. I think the Pels should be flexible in taking back contracts if it helps them get the pieces they want, but I wouldn’t change the wanted pieces to fit within the contracts a team feels they need to send back.
You just pointed out that Boston would need to commit to 4 max players to acquire Davis, at least for a year, unless they use Hayward (who would be a tough guy for anyone to take on) or Horford (who would be a tough a guy for them to lose).
Josh Richardson, Bam Adebayo, Kelly Olynyk,Rodney Mcgruder, 2019, 2023 1st round picks and rights to swap 2020 1st rounder for AD? Not sure that’s enough
Milwaukee could make an interesting offer, although their picks are locked up a bit due to protections. They can offer Brogdon, Snell, Thon Maker, Brook Lopez, DJ Wilson 2019 1st round pick and rights to swap 2021 and 2023 1st round picks for Davis, which would be amazing lol
I also think the Clippers can make a really good offer. I arguably like their assets better than the Lakers. And I could also see Tornto making it interesting to try and add him to keep Kawhi
AD hasn’t said he prefers to go anywhere yet. People say he doesn’t get a choice. Well, he does. If he really has a preference he just lays down the law that he’s not signing anywhere except where he wants. If he’s adamant about it, his trade value goes down to all other teams forcing a trade to his preferred destination.
ESPN is showing the most garbage trades on sportscenter.
Tampering? Can agents (Rich Paul) tamper? Or is he just doing what he’s supposed to do for his client’s best interests?
That’s one reason AD will get the fine even though it is RP’s big mouth.
AD will get a fine for tampering against himself? lol He never mentions a preferred team.
With Paul being James and Davis agent. I literally guarantee AD lands with the Lakers. This isn’t Paul George, Rich Paul will make it more than clear any other team is wasting their time and AD can easily ingest any fine the league hands him. All this without the Lakers being involved at all.
Well then, if you guarantee it, it must be a done deal.
Laker pieces cannot match that of Boston. Lakers too many guys who have not yet shown their potential while Boston has established young talent. Pelicans would be foolish to settle for Lakers’ package, maybe a 3rd team needs to get involved?
I think you’re focusing on what Bos young players did last year and not what their doing now.