Anthony Davis has asked to be traded

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, a highly reliable writer, AD has told the Pelicans he won't re-sign, essentially forcing them to trade him. The timing of this is not great for the Celtics, since we cannot trade for him until Kyrie re-signs this summer. Let the chaos begin.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/25868546/anthony-davis-told-new-orleans-pelicans-re-sign

Agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports has informed the New Orleans Pelicans that All-NBA forward Anthony Davis won't sign a contract extension and has requested a trade, Paul told ESPN on Monday morning.

"Anthony wants to be traded to a team that allows him a chance to win consistently and compete for a championship," Paul told ESPN. "Anthony wanted to be honest and clear with his intentions and that's the reason for informing them of this decision now. That's in the best interests of both Anthony's and the organization's future."

Davis is eligible to sign a five-year, $240 million supermax extension this summer. He can become a free agent in the summer of 2020. New Orleans has expressed no desire to trade him before the Feb. 7 trade deadline.

Davis' declaration on wanting out now gives teams other than the Boston Celtics a head start in pursuing trades for him. Boston cannot trade for Davis until July 1 because league rules wouldn't allow Kyrie Irving's and Davis' contracts under the designated rookie exception on the roster together. The designated rookie exception allows players coming off their rookie-scale contracts to earn 30 percent of the salary cap rather than 25 percent if they meet certain criteria.

Irving becomes a free agent on July 1. Boston could agree to a Davis trade before July 1 that isn't finalized until after that date.

This is an opportunity for the Los Angeles Lakers to be aggressive in offering a package for Davis before Boston's inclusion into talks. Paul also represents Lakers star LeBron James, and the Lakers have been determined to acquire Davis in a deal, league sources said.

Most NBA teams will check on the possibility of a Davis trade.

Davis, 25, who is averaging 29.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game, is currently sidelined with a volar plate avulsion fracture of his left index finger.

I am not surprised except I thought he would not ask out until after the season.  I think he sees that the team will not make the playoffs so he wants out now.

This does not force them to trade Davis right now but it amps up the pressure.

He is still under contract.  LAL are the ones who are working this deal it is so obvious.  Magic knows Boston has the assets to exceed what they can bring to the table after the season is jumping on it now.

What can and should kill this deal is NOLA holding out and not moving him right now.  They have a right to fair compensation and if they accept less than fair compensation then they are compromising their franchise.

There are only 10 days remaining before the trade deadline and if this thing goes past February 7th, the Celtics are definitely in the mix.

Danny could be on the phone right now.  He could put an offer on the table right now to trade for Davis on July 1st.  

NOLA has ever good reason to wait on moving Davis.  They really do not want to make LAL better because they are in the Western Conference.  Is there anything that prevents Boston from trading picks now for a player to be name later?

From the Pelicans side, if they make a deal before this summer, knowing that Boston has potential to put together a far superior package to the Lakers, it is collusion, or stupidity or some measure of both.

The future of their franchise is likely in the measure, they would be smart to hold off until July when all teams can make their best and most complete offer.

From AD perspective, what the Lakers would have to give up to get him - would virtually ensure they are not in a position to win anything. IMO its Boston of bust for Davis.

Excellent points from both Dboss and Kleen. The best course of action for NO would be to agree to make a deal with the Celtics this summer. They would get the best return, they could advise Danny whom they would like him to draft, and, there is still a chance Davis could change his mind. If they deal with the Lakers, they are rushed, get less talent, and close the door on AD forever.

What about dark horse destinations? Would the 76ers or Toronto or some other contender break up their core to get Davis, and if so, would there be anything left to entice Davis to approve the trade???

Thanks Shamrock

I have heard Philly as a destination, but dont see how AD and Embiid can play together - and cant why Philly would want a log jam down low.

Not sure what Toronto has to offer - but even still, the other half is Davis wanting to play there. I suppose if the Raptors could lock up Leonard very early in the summer - maybe, but dont see their assets are being attractive to a franchise in rebuild.

IF NO waits until we resign Irving, we will still have to match (or come close) to Davis' $27M salary in 2019-2020


now it would great if they would take Hayward, but we all know no one wants him at his current deal.

Likewise Horford.

so that means putting pieces together to make it work

NO WILL Want Tatum to start ($7.8M)

Smart is the next highest contract at $12.5M

that total $20.3M so we still need to move pieces.

since this is after the draft (the new NBA year) the rookies will have cap values.

If the Kings pick ends up top 10 that should get us closer to that $27M total, but I think NO will want TWO first form the next draft and one in a future draft along with Tatum and Smart.


is that a deal worth doing?

I guess that's why Danny makes the big money.

I do not think Toronto has the assets. Philly does but a pairing of Embid and Davis looks like a traffic jam on 128.

I think draft picks sway any deal in favor or Boston. NOLA is at a crossroads. They could pretty much rebuild their team with the assets that Boston has to offer.

It is going to be a painful process. No one wants to lose a guy like Tatum or Smart or Jaylen.

KDP59

Opportunities to pair players like Kyrie and Davis come along once every 10 years. The cost is very steep. The bench depth would have to be rebuilt but a staring line up of.

Davis
Horford
Irving
Tatum or Brown
Hayward (healthy)

Would be hard to overlooked.

As all of us, I have no idea - but to me Danny holds all the cards. If I am DA, Jayson Tatum is off the table.

So I would look at

Jaylen Brown
Marcus Smart
Robert Williams
Kings first round Pick
Celtics own first round Pick

Still think that is a better deal than the Lakers can put together, but what do I know

dboss wrote:KDP59

Opportunities to pair players like Kyrie and Davis come along once every 10 years.  The cost is very steep.  The bench depth would have to be rebuilt but a staring line up of.

Davis
Horford
Irving
Tatum or Brown
Hayward (healthy)

Would be hard to overlooked.  

well, Like is aid if NO has any type of GM, Tatum will be the center piece coming back to them


but yes
Davis
Horford (final year)
Hayward (keep our fingers crossed he gets back)
Brown
Irving

would likely be the best in the NBA on paper

but your bench would be

Baynes
Rozier- Danny would HAVE to match any deal at this point
Semi

as the only guys coming back that could be considered rotational players today

maybe Theis would come back on a bargain deal or Rob Williams is ready to step up and get regular minutes

after that you'd have Yabusele, Wannamaker and maybe Hunter along with a late first round pick to fill the roster.


even that would likely see a total team salary in the $150-160M range!!!

kleen I do not think anyone should be off the table except for Kyrie.

I am sure that Danny wants to keep Tatum but if you are NOLA his name would be #1 on the list. Perhaps an additional pick could make up the difference, say JB, Smart, Yabu, Williams and 3 firsts Instead of Tatum, Smart, Yabu, Williams and 2 firsts.

It is going to take a haul to get Davis and Boston may overpay for him but he is a special player that fills a longterm positional need.

dboss wrote:kleen I do not think anyone should be off the table except for Kyrie.

I am sure that Danny wants to keep Tatum but if you are NOLA his name would be #1 on the list.  Perhaps an additional pick could make up the difference, say JB, Smart, Yabu, Williams and 3 firsts Instead of Tatum, Smart, Yabu, Williams and 2 firsts.

It is going to take a haul to get Davis and Boston may overpay for him but he is a special player that fills a longterm positional need.  

Thats fine, I disagree.  

Davis is good, but not worth destroying all the depth and youth that Ainge has worked so hard to build here.  Without Tatum, you have taken 11 or 12 years to build a team set up for a 2 year run, with no assets left to build beyond that.

Long term, the Celtics can resign Kyrie and be a contender for a longer period of time than if they gut the team for a smaller window with AD. Davis is green would be great, but there is a limit to how far I would go.

kdp59 wrote:

dboss wrote:KDP59

Opportunities to pair players like Kyrie and Davis come along once every 10 years.  The cost is very steep.  The bench depth would have to be rebuilt but a staring line up of.

Davis
Horford
Irving
Tatum or Brown
Hayward (healthy)

Would be hard to overlooked.  

well, Like is aid if NO has any type of GM,  Tatum will be the center piece coming back to them


but yes
Davis
Horford (final year)
Hayward (keep our fingers crossed he gets back)
Brown
Irving

would likely be the best in the NBA on paper

but your bench would be

Baynes
Rozier- Danny would HAVE to match any deal at this point
Semi

as the only guys coming back that could be considered rotational players today

maybe Theis would come back on a bargain deal or Rob Williams is ready to step up and get regular minutes

after that you'd have Yabusele, Wannamaker and maybe Hunter along with a late first round pick to fill the roster.


even that would likely see a total team salary in the $150-160M range!!!

Rozier is still likely gone. The Celtics would likely resign Theis, make DJ dozier full time, use the vet minimum to round out the roster and hopefully use What's left of their first rounders at add some more talent.

The salary would balloon but AH only has one year left. There are no cheap tricks here. It is going to cost a ton of money if the Celtics trade for AD.

If they do not make the trade Boston will just keep rolling along and have draft assets to fuel the engine.

mrkleen09 wrote:

dboss wrote:kleen I do not think anyone should be off the table except for Kyrie.

I am sure that Danny wants to keep Tatum but if you are NOLA his name would be #1 on the list.  Perhaps an additional pick could make up the difference, say JB, Smart, Yabu, Williams and 3 firsts Instead of Tatum, Smart, Yabu, Williams and 2 firsts.

It is going to take a haul to get Davis and Boston may overpay for him but he is a special player that fills a longterm positional need.  

Thats fine, I disagree.  

Davis is good, but not worth destroying all the depth and youth that Ainge has worked so hard to build here.  Without Tatum, you have taken 11 or 12 years to build a team set up for a 2 year run, with no assets left to build beyond that.

Long term, the Celtics can resign Kyrie and be a contender for a longer period of time than if they gut the team for a smaller window with AD.  Davis is green would be great, but there is a limit to how far I would go.

Kleen I think Danny has been building all that depth and acquiring draft picks for one more big move.  He has not been building for 11 or 12 years.  That is not accurate.  The rebuild began when he made the big trades with the Nets.

Having 2 elite players that are still young like AD and KI is no 2 year run.  I like Tatum as much as the next guy but he is not the future of the Boston Celtics.  He is just part of the future.  Whatever expectations we have for young talent on this team and whatever projections we may indulge in we really do not know how good they will be.  What I am saying is that AD is elite,  Jayson Tatum and none of our young talent is elite.  They are still in the developmental stage and we do not know where they will end up.  

Kleen you know that Danny has said many times that anybody can be traded.

Depth can be rebuilt but getting elite talent is rare. You say Davis is good. I say Tatum is good and Davis is elite. Am I wrong about that?

I can always agree with you on something. If no deal is made for AD Boston is still set up to be a contender. In other words this is not a life and death decision for the Celtics franchise.

Just my $.02...

If anyone in the NOLA front office is awake, they would want Tatum as a mandatory part of the deal.

If BOS deals Tatum to get AD, there's still a hole in the frontcourt.

My bet is the last player BOS would want to deal right now is Tatum.

BOS can't go get AD yet. Not without trading Kyrie away, of course.

I'm not sure how you trade Kyrie, a player who must be loving his pending free agent status, and wanting to maintain it into the offseason.

The price for AD could get higher after the season, when more teams may enter the picture.

Looking at those six items, I'm not so sure there's going to be a deal in the making for AD and BOS.

D

This is where we get into a bunch of conjecture, and I dont expect to change your mind - you certainly wont change mine.

I like AD.  But he is not worth blowing up the team over, nor do I think he is the only player the Celtics could make a move for.  Next summer you have Klay Thompson, KD, Kris Middleton, Porzingis - and a lot of other players who will be FAs.

Danny is a gun slinger and will do what he thinks is best.  But this sell everyone and the kitchen sink for Davis isnt something I subscribe to.  

As for NO, if they dont deal with Boston - with or without Tatum, they are not making the best deal available.  But most GMs arent as sharp as Ainge, so wouldn't surprise me if they made some bonehead move and lost AD and remained in the basement.

mrkleen09 wrote:D

This is where we get into a bunch of conjecture, and I dont expect to change your mind - you certainly wont change mine.

I like AD.  But he is not worth blowing up the team over, nor do I think he is the only player the Celtics could make a move for.  Next summer you have Klay Thompson, KD, Kris Middleton, Porzingis - and a lot of other players who will be FAs.

Danny is a gun slinger and will do what he thinks is best.  But this sell everyone and the kitchen sink for Davis isnt something I subscribe to.  

As for NO, if they dont deal with Boston - with or without Tatum, they are not making the best deal available.  But most GMs arent as sharp as Ainge, so wouldn't surprise me if they made some bonehead move and lost AD and remained in the basement.

Kleen

The thing is, Boston will not be a player in FA for a while so those players that you mentioned are pretty much off the table unless a sign and trade is worked out.

I do not see a move where we would be blowing up the team. The rotation depth would have to be rebuilt but you would have a pretty dynamic starting 5.

So if you lost Tatum you would still have Brown who is more than capable of being a third scorer on a team with 2 superstars. And Hayward after a year of playing may very well return to being a reliable scorer for them. Guys would have a chance to play more minutes.

I think the only conjecture and there is one, is if Jason Tatum will turn into an allstar and beyond that, will he be a top 10 player in this league? I do not know the answer to that. I cannot pretend to know the answer. I do not disagree with you. I think both of our views are pretty solid.

1 min ago – via Yahoo! Sports
Regarding team preferences, Boston is not a top target for Davis, sources said. There’s a growing belief of uncertainty that Kyrie Irving will not re-sign with Boston, sources said, even though he vowed to do so at the beginning of the season.

mrkleen09 wrote:

dboss wrote:kleen I do not think anyone should be off the table except for Kyrie.

I am sure that Danny wants to keep Tatum but if you are NOLA his name would be #1 on the list.  Perhaps an additional pick could make up the difference, say JB, Smart, Yabu, Williams and 3 firsts Instead of Tatum, Smart, Yabu, Williams and 2 firsts.

It is going to take a haul to get Davis and Boston may overpay for him but he is a special player that fills a longterm positional need.  

Thats fine, I disagree.  

Davis is good, but not worth destroying all the depth and youth that Ainge has worked so hard to build here.  Without Tatum, you have taken 11 or 12 years to build a team set up for a 2 year run, with no assets left to build beyond that.

Long term, the Celtics can resign Kyrie and be a contender for a longer period of time than if they gut the team for a smaller window with AD.  Davis is green would be great, but there is a limit to how far I would go.

One important point to remember is that the Celtics do not have to offer NO a fair deal, they just have to offer the best deal. It may very well be possible to outbid LA and other suitors without including Tatum.

tjmakz wrote:1 min ago – via Yahoo! Sports
Regarding team preferences, Boston is not a top target for Davis, sources said. There’s a growing belief of uncertainty that Kyrie Irving will not re-sign with Boston, sources said, even though he vowed to do so at the beginning of the season.

If the Celtics were to somehow get an agreement for NO to trade Davis to them, you don't think Kyrie would be even more inclined to stay??

tjmakz wrote:1 min ago – via Yahoo! Sports
Regarding team preferences, Boston is not a top target for Davis, sources said. There’s a growing belief of uncertainty that Kyrie Irving will not re-sign with Boston, sources said, even though he vowed to do so at the beginning of the season.

TJ,

If that proves true about Irving, and I've long thought it a genuine possibility, I would expect to see Boston go after AD with everything they've got, except for Tatum. Rozier could easily be the point, and if not, the one position that looks fairly good in this year's draft is point guard. Rozier, or another quality young point, along with Tatum and AD makes sense. Trying to pay Irving and AD, especially if NOLA wants Tatum, doesn't add up in my mind.

I think if Irving stays, no AD. If Irving goes, look for Boston to be a serious suitor for AD this offseason.

Regards

Shamrock1000 wrote:

tjmakz wrote:1 min ago – via Yahoo! Sports
Regarding team preferences, Boston is not a top target for Davis, sources said. There’s a growing belief of uncertainty that Kyrie Irving will not re-sign with Boston, sources said, even though he vowed to do so at the beginning of the season.

If the Celtics were to somehow get an agreement for NO to trade Davis to them, you don't think Kyrie would be even more inclined to stay??

Yes, but Boston can't trade for Davis until July as long as Kyrie is on the roster.

NYCelt wrote:

tjmakz wrote:1 min ago – via Yahoo! Sports
Regarding team preferences, Boston is not a top target for Davis, sources said. There’s a growing belief of uncertainty that Kyrie Irving will not re-sign with Boston, sources said, even though he vowed to do so at the beginning of the season.

TJ,

If that proves true about Irving, and I've long thought it a genuine possibility, I would expect to see Boston go after AD with everything they've got, except for Tatum. Rozier could easily be the point, and if not, the one position that looks fairly good in this year's draft is point guard. Rozier, or another quality young point, along with Tatum and AD makes sense. Trying to pay Irving and AD, especially if NOLA wants Tatum, doesn't add up in my mind.

I think if Irving stays, no AD. If Irving goes, look for Boston to be a serious suitor for AD this offseason.

Regards

If TJ's rumor and your suspicion are indeed true, then another possibility is the Celtics include Kyrie in a trade; this would allow then to make a trade before the deadline.

Personally, I think Kyrie will re-sign, and the Celts will hope NO waits until summer so they can offer a package that does not include Tatum (still likely the best offer NO receives).

tjmakz wrote:

Shamrock1000 wrote:

tjmakz wrote:1 min ago – via Yahoo! Sports
Regarding team preferences, Boston is not a top target for Davis, sources said. There’s a growing belief of uncertainty that Kyrie Irving will not re-sign with Boston, sources said, even though he vowed to do so at the beginning of the season.

If the Celtics were to somehow get an agreement for NO to trade Davis to them, you don't think Kyrie would be even more inclined to stay??

Yes, but Boston can't trade for Davis until July as long as Kyrie is on the roster.

Understood - I meant if NO somehow agrees to wait until summer to trade AD to the Celtics, then Kyrie would surely know this and be even more inclined to re-sign with Boston.