Los Angeles is reportedly Anthony Davis‘ preferred landing spot but the Lakers‘ early offers for the talented big man have been underwhelming, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
In their first offer for Davis, the Lakers’ package included Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley and a first-round pick, Wojnarowski writes. The Lakers’ offers to the Pelicans’ have been limited to two of the organization’s top young players, one first-round pick and no salary relief, sources tell the ESPN scribe.
Wojnarowski compared the Lakers’ pursuit of Davis to the organization’s attempts to acquire Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in recent seasons. While L.A. had significant interest, the club’s offers underwhelmed the Spurs and Pacers, respectively, and both players were traded elsewhere.
While the two teams’ basketball decision-makers, Magic Johnson and Dell Demps, remain in touch, the Pelicans feel the early offers have not warranted a response or counter-offer, per ESPN’s report. The NBA trade deadline is five days away, which gives both sides time to find common ground on a trade.
As we relayed yesterday, the Knicks and Celtics are among the other teams with interest in Davis. However, the Knicks traded perhaps their most valuable asset in Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks after including him in offers for Davis. Also, the Celtics remain interested in Davis, but their ability to make an offer is restricted until July, and AD’s camp seems to be taking extra measures to push him toward the Lakers.
On Friday, Davis made his first comments since his trade request went public. The five-time All-Star explained he wants a new challenge after seven seasons in New Orleans, per 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.”
Davis is sidelined with an injured left index finger, which he said will be re-evaluated after Saturday’s game in San Antonio. While he intends to return to action once he is medically cleared, there’s a chance the Pelicans will sit the big man for the rest of the season if a trade is not made.
The art of the deal
Kuzma and Ingram is better or equal than….
1. Oladipo & Sabonis
2. Dunn & LaVine
3. Saric & Covington
4. DeRozen & Green
I agree with you on 2 for sure. 3 probably. But I completely disagree with you on 1 and 4.
Ingram can be almost as good as Giannis once he reaches his prime.
So we can disagree.
NBA is becoming savage on giving up on young guys .. even Oladipo wasn’t thought of as anything more than average until he landed in Indy.
I’ll be seriously pissed if the Lakers mess this up. Stop playing around and offer Kuz, Zo, Zu, and Hart with 2 1sts and and salary fillers and then add Ingram if he’s what it takes to close
Agreed. Throw in Walton too, maybe there’s people out there that think he’s a good coach still
Way too much. LA has all the leverage.. AD wants no part of NO, and fans have turned on him
.. many other teams would hesitate “blowing it up” for AD rental.
Reality is no one can match Kuz, Ingram, Zub, & a 1st
Ingram has been a weird fit ever since LeBron signed. Def would rather keep Zo to dime it out to Bron & AD
Celtics can beat it easy. Tatum/brown/rozier/smart and multiple first rounders that we have from the grizz/kings/clips. No reason for pelicans to jump on something before the offseason
Well Rozier is an RFA so anyone can sign him, Tatum is most likely not going to be included, so that leaves the multiple first rounders and Brown/Smart. Doubt that would beat the Lakers best offer, which isn’t on the table yet.
Why do laker fans think they can get AD for a few non-all stars? You got to give up something to get quality. Kuzma is a good player but no all star. ball would be flipped for a player. That doesn’t equal a AD. Rondo and Beasley is not what a rebuilding team wants. Either Johnson is one of the worst GMs or he has no clue on doing his job. They could have Leonard right now but instead low balled the spurs.
Cuz they’re 22 and under and def future all-stars.
Can you not sign and trade a RFA?
Exactly, Boston can eat it and screw up their whole team. That isn’t going to happen, unless Boston is crazy. AD don’t want to be there.
The Celtics just said anyone but Kyrie is available. This article left out an important part of AD’s comments. AD said yesterday “””””he has not told the Pelicans he has a preferred destination,”’ contrary to what the west coast media has been making up.
Did you forget Danny Ainge was your GM? Like he would ever trade Tatum
Davis wont resign and ainge isnt that stupid to trade the farm when ad wont resign.
Exactly. Would be funny if they traded Tatum for 1 year of AD and then Lakers get him for nothing.
Either way works.
Ainge said when AD plays a year with Kyrie, just like PG13 and Westbrook, he’ll re sign. Ainge has been around a little while. AD said this week the stuff saying he’ll only re sign with Lakers are lies. He doesn’t have a preferred destination (just winning).
No one can beat that? It’s not that good of an offer. Kuzma is a long, athletic kid who can’t defend and needs shots to be effective. His value likely dips with lebron back. Ingram and Ball are the best two chips they have but one doesn’t fit in NO with an already proven ball handler in Holiday. And what value does Zubac or the first have?
Simple and plain, the Lakers have an offer that really isn’t bad, but if a team like Boston or Toronto wanted to get involved, could easily beat it.
The Pelicans are willing to have him play out his deal with him and I love it! Time to show the players that while they have power, they don’t run the league completely.
AD also has the right to sit out next season and join Lakers for nothing.
I personally think it’s good for the league considering the Warriors exist.
If AD decides to sit out next season, NOP has the ability to not only NOT pay him, but also legally allowed to have him remain on their roster for another year until such time that contract has been completed. It is an NBA rule
NO still has AD and they don’t have to trade him this year. There also under no obligation to trade him to the Lakers. LA is far from having all the leverage right now.
LA has very little leverage. NO is under no obligation to trade him to LA, they could also just wait till the offseason to move him. NO still has AD, that’s where your leverage is.
Kawhi PG13 and now AD maybe we should bring back buss and kupchak!
I see no progress w/ Pelinka and tragic Johnson!!
It can’t get much worse than giving Deng and Mozgov 4 year deals. Anything they do is infinitely better than Buss and Kupchak’s last few years. If they didn’t land Pau Gasol they wouldn’t have had those two championships either and his whole tenure with the Lakers would look terrible.
Magic hasn’t learned anything from losing out from George and Kawhi! LeBrons window is closing! Go get AD. Step it up tragic give the pels anything but James!!
Magic offered plenty for PG13. Lakers didn’t have a player like Oladipo to deal. Magic landed Lebron and you are advocating to bring back the guys who gave Mozgov and Deng 4 year deals lol
PG13 is an MVP candidate this season. He was an all star with Pacers. Magic has gone on premenition he’ll get these guys in free agency and is lowballing. If he misses on Kawhi and AD, his job could be in jeopardy.
I wouldn’t offer Kuz unless they countered with that. Give them BI. BI, Zub, Hart, cap relief (KCP, Beasley, etc), & 2 #1’s
Oh, and they can have the Zo show too. Or offer him with the 1st counter. Kuz is for the last offer.
I agree with your offer to NO but start mixing the drinks to console yourself because this deal will not get done. Pels can wait and get better players and higher draft picks with better potential from the Celts and possibly other teams who may take the chance OKC/Toronto took. Why should they hurry? They owe nothing but contempt to Lebron/Paul/ Magic conglomerate. A good GM Never makes a decision before you have to, especially when being pressured.
I’d turn that down too.
If you turn that down you’d better be sure Tatum is on the table from Boston.
Boston would be dumb to give up Tatum and top picks for AD rental (this summer)
Boston would be more wise to package Smart with, say SAC 1st, for Gasol and keep their young guys.
There’s another year on his contact, so it’s not just this year.
They can’t add him unless they move Kyrie.
You know, there are more than two teams to trade him to. Just because he only wants to go to one place is meaningless. He has a signed contract for 2 more years. He can either play where the team sends him or he can retire and forfeit his money. Then he can go play for the JBA or something. I think the JBA has an LA team, doesn’t it?
Yes but is giving up say Middleton, Maker and Brogdon worth it when he’s gonna leave and they’re already great team?
Lakers are the ones with nothing to lose.
Was it worth it for the Thunder to give up Oladipo and Sabonis for Paul George? Everyone thought he was going to leave and they were already a great team. He didn’t leave.
There are no guarantees in life, but ANY team that gets Anthony Davis now is very likely going to be better for the next 2 years.
Knicks set the stage… Massive salary relief, a young prospect albeit in need of change of scenery, and 2 1sts.
I think DSJ, this year’s #1 and the Mavs two #1’s would do it. No salary relief – it defeats the purpose of what the Knicks are trying to do, otherwise it’s not worth it.
huh? no the set the stage with their trade. meaning Lakers need to up the price for AD
Also, as someone who thinks it would be a bad idea to include Ball because having 2 grade-A distributors can make up for a lack of depth elsewhere; I think they’d be out of their freaking mind to trade BOTH Rondo & Lonzo….
News flash… Lonzo sucks
News flash, you don’t watch Lakers if u think that.
Yea I love PG’s who are supposed to be among the top guys at their position and be an elite distributer but can only avg 10 ppg, 5 apg, and barely shoot 40% from the field and 40% from the free throw line. That’s pathetic! When you’re a PG and are worse than Shaq from the line, you’re just an embarrassment.
link to google.com
It would be nice to be able to post substantial links so people can read them instead of having me explain 10 paragraphs worth
NewsFlash: Where is Lonzo now? Mr. Fragility is out for the year. Like a new born fawn, he has fallen and can’t get up.
lol no
Terrible deal. But I’m sure Lakers are just throwing things out there. I mean, the price for KP to get to Dallas was 3 starting caliber players and 2 1st round picks. KP isn’t on AD’s level. Lakers are gonna have to up the ante because all New Orleans really would be getting in this deal is Kuz and a low 1st round pick. Rondo and Beas’ would be bought out. Lonzo would have to be flipped to another team. “You gotta pay to play”, Lakers.
Let’s be honest here the price for KP was salary relief, plus a young prospect and 2 1sts one very protected. DJ and Mathews won’t play for knicks.
Agreed. Trades are uncomparable.
Lakers need to find someone to take Solomon Hill or there is no deal.
True that. But on the surface, Dallas gave up alot to make that deal happen. What the Knicks do with those players they obtained is on them. For a young MVP caliber player like AD, you aren’t gonna get him cheap. You really have to look at what other teams had to give up for star players to guage how much Lakers need to give for AD. Think of the price for PG and Kawhi. I would say Jimmy as well, but idk if that was a good deal for the wolves in the long run. Lol I think Lonzo, B.I. Kuzma, Zubac, and KCP/or Stephenson, and that 1st pick would get it done.
…as a matter fact, lakers can keep Lonzo and Zubac and offer BI, Kuzma, KCP, a throw-in, and two of those low 1st round picks. I think that would be a good deal. Pelicans would get youthful starters in return, a future with Kuz and Bi, and two picks they can use as assets in the draft.
This isn’t a sealed-bid situation; stage-setting arguments will fall quickly when multi-team negotiations get serious. LAL is asking Demps to not look at the cards that are still face-down. That takes plenty of sweetening, not present in Woj’s reported offer.
The news is, one, why lowball.
And then despite that the Pels already had Rondo & let him go, both PGs were offered! That points to a Bledsoe offer down the road.
The Lakers don’t have the pieces to force NO’s hand. Ball is a defensive minded Ricky Rubio. Ingram is Jabari Parker 2.0. A late first round pick. LA would be smart to try to get a third team involved.
Knicks could give up one or two of those Mavs picks and take Ball to help facilitate the deal.
Ya. The Knicks need another point guard to add to Mudiay and Smith.
Don’t forget Ntikilina.
The Lakers won’t mess it up. Start the bidding low. I don’t want to c Kuz or Hart go. But they need to get AD and have 2 stars in place to make a run at the third in the offseason. Much easier to get 1 then to get 2 *couch Knicks cough*
Guess the lakers are expecting NO to just do them a solid. It’s like LA went to goodwill dropped off some ish and was like “can I have a receipt for that”. Doesn’t work like that bro!
Out of Ball, Hart, Kuz, Zubac and Ingram, the Lakers should just let NO pick 3 of those 5 and throw in 2 first rounders. LA has all the leverage here.
LA has zero leverage. Unless you think they want to just punt the next two years as a late lotto/first round exit team. Then they could sign Davis as an unrestricted free agent, BUT LeBron will be 37 and probably on his way to yet another team. LeBron is good, but Father Time is still undefeated. At that point, LA will probably be in worse shape than NO is now.
Wants new challenges? No he wants to team up with the 2nd best player ever in the largest market.
He actually wants an easier challenge.
He did spend the last 7 years trying to drag terrible teams to the playoffs while watching Durant and Boogie sign with a team of all stars.
That may be true, but it is not “wanting new challenges.” That would be “everyone else is doing it, I will too.” There is nothing challenging about that philosophy.
lol. He was playing with 2 all stars in Miami and Cleveland.
No real asking price suggests Pels are not seriously considering moving him by the deadline. Token offers suggest the Lakers may suspect this.
Lakers need to stop playing with these offers they need to make it happen know because everyone that says Lakers have all the leverage if they wait and the Knicks windup with the #1 pick they can actually trade Zion,Knox,DSJ,Mitchell Robinson,Alonso Trier Multiple First Round picks and still Sign KD n Kyrie!
Knicks cannot trade DSJ after just trading for him, but they do have enough salary to send to match AD’s.
Agree that the Knicks could make the winning offer, and so could the Nets!
New Orleans would want to wait until May 24, the day of the draft lottery, to see where New York drafts, and who else is in the top 6 or 7. The Knicks can trade Smith Jr. and the pick on draft day.
They can trade DSJ, just not with anything else. So unless NO want a straight 1 for 1 deal, he’s out. But it’s not like the Knicks don’t have other young PGs they can include like Ntikilina or Mudiay.
They can trade Smith Jr. after the season at the draft. Luke, is this right? You have draft day trades every year. Like Luke said you can only trade Smith Jr. “at the deadline” in a 1 for 1 trade. A draft day trade could include Smith Jr., Zion if they get him, Ntilkina, Knox, etc.
Smith’s aggregation restrictions will lift in two months, so there’d be no restrictions on trading him in the offseason. Just this week.
They can trade him and others to the Pels as long as his salary isn’t aggregated to match the required percentage of Davis’ salary, league evaluates as separate but linked deals. It won’t happen, because neither team will know what the Knicks’ main assets are before lottery day. Also, Pels won’t want AD screwing up their newest asset (the pick) by winning games for the Knicks the balance of the season.
May 24, when they have the lottery, and see who gets Zion will weigh in the Pelicans mind. They likely won’t make trade until summer when they see all the offers.
If the Knicks get the Zion pick, that will be in play. If he Cavs get it… It will not go for Davis. If the Suns get it, they will dither and annoy.
Everyone gonna head to the East. Path of least resistance to the finals. Knicks gonna be next super team
I bet the pelicans want Ingram.
He will not go to the Lakers.
Lose him in a year for nothing then. Tatum isn’t walking through that door from Boston
They should send him to Cleveland. And erase any existence of him ever being in N.O.
Salty much?
It would be nice if the rest of the country could watch AD & King play together, while NO kick-starts their rebuild after failing for 8 years with a top-3 player.
New Orleans most likely told the Lakers to open with lame offers so it can look like they are playing hard ball. Everyone in the NBA knows Davis only wants to sign a long term deal with the Lakers. In about a week, the Lakers will have to pay a steep price to get Davis and they will.
And who wouldn’t want to kickstart a rebuild with Kuz and Ingram… They’re acting like that’s not a good offer, while PG13 & Butler (twice) got moved for much less
Kuzma and Ingram aren’t AS.
Oladipo is. Adding that to Sabonis and no, the deal wasn’t more than what was sent for him. In addition, Butler was moved for less because he is less of a player.
Because Davis is better, teams who were in on butler are likely in on Davis and would add more. This is common sense. The Lakers aren’t the only team he can get traded to. And the Paul George and likely the Kawhi situation should teach everyone that people don’t just want to play in LA.
That’s a good answer for why the lowball offer… although the Lakers could have strategized that on their own, just to let Demps vent a bit and get him settled & confident enough to say yes.
Rich Paul did his thing to try to open some bidding but that did not work. This reported offer won’t either. Why not include Ingram, whose path is blocked by Lebron anyway? Seems pretty lame to walk up their best offer gradually. At some point Lakers should be asking, What will it take.
Any business man doesnt offer there best offer day one. People are naive!!
It was mentioned yesterday that if the Lakers don’t get AD by next Thursday, their next chance would be summer of 2020-21. The Lakers would have to offer 1 year contracts again this year hoping to have cap space available. LeBron would be 35 years old and have 1 year plus an option on his contract. Again AD himself told New Orleans that “””he does not have a preferred destination.”””
With your vast experience as assistant manager at Shakey’s Pizza you do have the business acumen to make such an astute observation!
I worked for the UAW. My post is fact.
Replied to @mindless, not you
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
Obviously Boston is locked out for now, unless they wait to trade him in the offseason, in which case he will have less team control. Heat should essentially try anything to get him, obviously. These are a couple of ideas for possible offers that I could see, although there are multiple iterations that probably work. I obviously wouldnt say we are a favorite, but I think we can put up a comparable offer to other teams.
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. Maybe change the 2020 swap for a 2022 swap, with that being a more important draft
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. I feel like a couple of the Lakers assets have also lost some value this year. And I could also see Toronto making it interesting to try and add him to keep Kawbi. The Knicks are more realistic now as well, and there are some dark horse teams that could have the assets to pull it off as well. Maybe he does end up with the Lakers, but I dont see that as being the best trade for New Orleans
Nobody wants Rondo.
They need to just get rid of the max salaries and keep the cap and luxury tax system. Leaving 10-15 million a year on the table for these superstars would be a lot tougher than leaving a couple million. If the Durant’s and Curry’s got market value, not much room left for other other stars to squeeze under the cap and luxury line. Balmer might would have a 300-400 million payroll with taxes for a few years, but most owners wouldn’t operate at that big of a loss.
Rich Paul orchestrated this priority week that gave Magic/Lakers the open door to get this deal done and he is screwing it up. Putting Rondo & Beez on the table is a total insult. Pels could have signed Rondo for less if they wanted him from last year. He should let them pick the players & two No 1 picks which would be late picks with AD & Lebron and show them some respect instead of a sharp stick in the eye with the lousy offer. Magic has been burned twice in the past with Kawhi & PG deals, yet he seems to learn nothing. The Laker youngsters are not close to All Star value combined to equal one AD. Only Laker homers think they have high value, the rest of the Association sees them as avg.
Ball, Ingram, kuzma, kcp & hart + 1st round pick 2019 & 1st round pick 2020 would do it.
KCP has a no trade clause and can veto it. New Orleans already has Jrue Holiday. They don’t need KCP.
This should get the deal done ball ingram zubac caldwell pope two first round picks maybe throw in hart
Cut it out derozan is an aging non franchise player. This Kuzma ball offer is better then Kawhi deal or any other deal that went thru. Oladipo was a stud for one year. Let’s see 2 years. Sabonis is not an all star. Lonzo could be best passer and defending pg in nba down the road. Yes he’s not a great shooter but Ben Simmons is??? Jason Kidd wasn’t either. Celtics are off the table now. Davis dad made sure of that. Ad is a stud but it’s a player dominated league. If he says he won’t resign w anyone but lakers no one will even come close to Lonzo and Kuzma. Everyone saying that offer is too light is a moron.
so, lakers are going to lose every game since they will have only 2 players. good job, no-magic!
For the love of God magic! You know what the pelicans want, we know what the pelicans want to not make this a Nother Paul George situation just give and give them what they want so you can get Davis.
My knicks will get him. I told you so
I’d be underwhelmed by the first offer, as well. Davis is a rare generational superstar. It’s gonna take the House to land a guy like that.