Anthony Davis has no interest in remaining sidelined while the Pelicans work out his future, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. In his first public statements since making his trade request, Davis said he will get his injured left index finger re-evaluated after Saturday’s game in San Antonio and intends to return to action once he is medically cleared.
Davis hasn’t played since January 18 because of a volar plate avulsion fracture. There has been speculation that the Pelicans will keep him sidelined until at least the trade deadline and possibly even the rest of the season to prevent further injury in anticipation of a deal. New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters that Davis won’t be able to play this week (Twittter link), adding that there’s nothing else to stay about his future status (Twitter link from Scott Kushner of The Advocate).
Speaking with reporters today, Davis insisted he never gave the Pelicans “a timetable or a destination” regarding his desire to be traded (Twitter link). He explained that he felt like he has accomplished all he could in New Orleans and wants to try a new challenge, relays Stefano Fusaro on ESPN Now.
“I just feel like it is my time,” Davis said. “Gave the city, organization, fans, everything I felt like I could do. I don’t know how long I’m going to play this game. People’s careers are short. I felt like it is my time to move on.”
There’s more Davis-related news today:
- The Lakers remain Davis’ first choice in any trade, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Knicks are also high on his list and made an offer to the Pelicans that included Kristaps Porzingis before trading him to Dallas yesterday. Porzingis had no plans to sign a long-term deal with New Orleans if he had gone there, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer (Twitter link).
- The Celtics may try to collect trade chips to improve an eventual offer to New Orleans, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Boston is investigating the cost of acquiring a few young players who might interest the Pelicans. Management in New Orleans wants to avoid trading Davis to L.A., Windhorst adds, and might be waiting for summer when the Celtics can get involved in the bidding.
- Davis’ representatives have put out a message that he won’t re-sign with the Celtics in 2020 unless Kyrie Irving remains with the team, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News. Irving seems to be having second thoughts about the verbal commitment he made to stay in Boston and may explore his free agency options this summer. However, front-office sources tell Deveney that the statements from Davis’ camp might be a “smokescreen” to scare off the Celtics and give Davis an easier path to L.A. If Irving does leave, the Celtics would likely drop out of the bidding for Davis without a commitment that they can keep him past next season. That may leave the Pelicans without a strong alternative to sending Davis to the Lakers, which Deveney also states that the front office is trying to avoid.
I have a feeling this is going to drag on until free agency and then we will see him traded. It’s the NBA, they love drama and trying to capture the headlines so if of course it’ll drag on until us fans are just sick of hearing about it.
Kind of like your comments?
You have been Donged
It’s a disservice to the franchise to not wait. That’s not to say that the Lakers offer isn’t good. For losing AD, you can’t ask for much more than young players and picks.
But say the Celtics offer Tatum and the Memphis pick. Or that Philly doesn’t make it to the ECF and decides to offer up Simmons with a plan to re-sign Butler. There is no reason to not wait unless they receive a ridiculous trade offer.
There’s more of a chance Philly doesn’t retain Butler than them trading Simmons.
Kevin Durant and Kyrie tried to hook up in Miami last time they were free agents. Kyrie and Anthony Davis are close friends. “If” the Knicks were to be able to put together a package (their own 1st pick, 2 from Dallas, Kevin Knox, etc.) to lure AD to New York, I wonder if that would be enough to entice Durant and Kyrie to New York. Adam Silver has said he’s for superteams in big markets.
I don’t understand why the Bulls aren’t involved in this. He’s from Chicago, the Bulls have player assets and cap space this summer for another star.
Because AD won’t re-sign there. Not trading away the future for one season of AD
I don’t get all this talk about the pelicans best bet is to wait the lakers out. Kyrie is not resigning in Boston. Once he’s gone Celtics are not giving up Tatum for a 1 year rental of Davis. If the lakers really offered Ingram, Kuzma, and ball that is way too much to turn down. Ingram and ball alone is worth more then Tatum. Ingram has crazy upside. Lonzo has crazy upside. Kuzma I feel like will never be a star but he is def a gamer and important player on a team. The pelicans would have 3 new starters off one deal. If I’m the lakers I have to keep Lonzo. Let pelicans take Ingram and Kuzma maybe zubac but you are giving up a haul for a guy that is leaving. NBA is a players league. He pulls the card I will only sign w the lakers they are not getting much more. Look at the spurs. I guarantee you they wish they traded for Ingram or Kuzma instead of derozan. He’s not getting any younger and is not a guy to build around.
Agreed ^
Your exactly right man. A lot of trade talk is pure BS. I think they take a deal. If they don’t they are just butt hurt AD got fed up with them being a trash team.
Kyrie aint resigning with celtics. Hes going to knicks or lakers.
Once again, Davis’s preference is irrelevant in this matter. He’s under contract with the Pelicans which means they can trade him wherever the hell they please.
Now, if LAL or NYK offer up a package that NO prefers over other offers, fine, but if other teams put together stronger packages that NO likes more, then it stands to reason that is where he’ll be dealt, whether he prefers it or not.
When a player asks to be traded, they have no say in the matter unless they have a no trade clause in their contract (which Davis does not).
This is all true, but if Davis tells teams he isn’t interested in signing long term then the return will be substantially less. That is why only a few teams are even a possibility.
Perhaps, but he still comes with a couple more seasons control, no? There are more than a few teams who are an AD away from being a real contender so I think it’s reasonable to expect they’d part with legit players and draft picks to acquire this kind of talent.
As an example, where the hell are the Blazers in this? They have more than enough to give NO a legit return and AD is exactly what Dame needs.
I guess I’d personally like to see him go somewhere else besides the LALs or BOS or whatever other big market team we constantly hear about.
Name the”few” teams that are an AD away from being a real contender, without giving up the current team that they have. NOLA is not getting equivalent value for Davis, ever. Potential and hope is all they can get. Both of which gets office guys fired when that doesn’t work out. Pels. are in a tough spot, they have to wait until Boston can at least make an offer . Crazy to trade with the fakers. Lebum can chase ghosts all the way to Chicago, MIKE is GOAT and laughing!
If teams like POR or SAC and the likes don’t take risks to get guys like this they’ll just continue on the the endless steam of mediocrity and never sniff a shot at a championship.
I think several teams can at least make a comparable offer, and there are arguably multiple teams that can beat the Lakers offer.
I also think yesterday’s Porzingis trade confirms the thought of what it would take for Davis being at least 2, possibly 3 young pieces, at least 2 1st round picks, and 1-2 potential swap picks, but you never know
Let’s get that dash in there… ‘resigning’ and ‘re-signing’ have completely different meanings.
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In other news, I think the Knicks have a promise from Irving, and that’s why they were so quick & bold with the Zinger trade, and why Irving is hedging on Boston.
I have been saying the Knicks must draw the Zion pick but they do have a lot of #1 picks coming up. Well it’s up to Demps but he wants AD in the EC.
He dosnt care about the conference, the Pels will be horrible for several years.
Lottery Day is now the first day of the FA period, and (unless the Pels get stupid and cave) the first day of phase II of the AD sweepstakes.
For the Knicks, it’s not just their pick but Dallas’ pick that will determine the value of their draft assets going into July. Knicks need (1) a top 3 overall pick themselves (#1 overall isn’t needed, although that would be nice), and (2) Dallas to finish outside the top 5. If both happen, and they have KI lined up (but Durant re-ups with the Warriors), then if Dummy Demps gets tired of listening to Magic’s BS, offer up a “no players” package (he can always have DSJ if he wants him, at any time) of:
– Rights to our 2019 top 3 pick
(I’m guessing it will be someone they like too)
– 2020 unprotected 1st (NYK)
– 2021 unprotected 1st (DAL)
– 2022 unprotected 1st (NYK)
None of the Lakers players mentioned, and only Tatum among the Boston players mentioned, would yield a future unprotected 1st from a team with any recent history of getting a top 10 pick. This package has effectively 4 unprotected 1st’s in consecutive years. Pels don’t need to take back matching contracts or listen to teams selling them on players they want to stick them with; they get all the Davis cap space back the day after the trade, and can start adding even more picks right away by absorbing bad contracts. Plus, they don’t have to deal with some pseudo star who can’t hit a FT wanting a 100 mm extension before he plays a game for the Pels.
Your not biased.
knicks shud get kembay and zion, add a couple mid level vets
Tatum isn’t going anywhere, period. Trade KI and sign Rozier. Time to move on.