Anthony Davis has asked to be traded

https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/celtics/2019/01/28/anthony-davis-tells-new-orleans-wants-traded-contender/5ezHlVm8pugT4D197GNxbL/story.html



Anthony Davis tells New Orleans he wants to be traded to a contender




Anthony Davis is having the best season of his career, averaging 29.3 points and 13.3 rebounds.
MATTHEW J. LEE/GLOBE STAFF



By Tim ReynoldsASSOCIATED PRESS
JANUARY 28, 2019



Anthony Davis wants out of New Orleans.

And the NBA might soon see a blockbuster trade come together.

The five-time All-Star has told the Pelicans that he wants to be traded to a championship-contending team and will not sign an extension with New Orleans, agent Rich Paul told the Associated Press Monday.


ESPN first reported Davis’s demand to be traded to a contender. It is a move that will resonate around the league, one that will have most — if not all — teams trying to see how they can put together a package good enough for the Pelicans to send Davis their way.


Boston would almost certainly be a place that makes sense, since the Celtics are a contender and have more than enough assets to make a good deal. But under NBA rules, the Celtics cannot trade for Davis until July 1, unless they also trade away Kyrie Irving — which likely won’t happen.


Irving is a factor because of what’s known as the Rose Rule, the one that says NBA teams cannot trade for more than one player who has signed an extension.

The Celtics could sign Irving in July and then trade for Davis. But until then, unless they move Irving, Davis won’t be in Boston.

Davis is having the best season of his career, averaging 29.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game. He'll almost certainly become a six-time All-Star later this week when the NBA announces the full rosters for this year’s game that will be played Feb. 17 in Charlotte.


Now it’s unclear whether Davis will be there as a member of the Pelicans or not. The trade deadline is Feb. 7.

The Pelicans did not have any immediate comment. They next play Tuesday at Houston.

Davis’s future has long been in question. He’s a superstar on a team that hasn’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs since he’s been in New Orleans — and in four of his first six full seasons, the Pelicans didn’t qualify for the postseason at all. They entered Monday 13th in the Western Conference standings, six games out of the final playoff spot with 32 games remaining.

His telling New Orleans that he wants out is the latest power move by a star player who wants to get traded, following a path now similar to what Kawhi Leonard did when he wanted to be traded by San Antonio and what Paul George did when he decided it was time to move on from Indiana.

But New Orleans, which controls Davis’s contract through the 2019-20 season, has been steadfast for months: The Pelicans have no desire to move their best player, who is in line to sign a $240 million, five-year extension in 2020.


‘‘We’re not trading him,’’ Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said last month, one of many times he’s addressed the topic. ‘‘I can say that to the world. We’re not going to trade him, no matter what. That’s not an option.’’

Still, trade chatter has ramped up this season, especially after Lakers All-Star LeBron James — who is represented by Paul, just as Davis is — included the New Orleans star on a list of players he would love to play with. James’s comments were construed in some circles as campaigning for Davis.

The Lakers, right now, aren’t necessarily a contender. But they have James, which probably means they’re attractive to Davis as well. James shrugged off the notion he did anything illicit, saying it’s just common sense that he would like to play with elite players like Davis.

‘‘Come on, guys,’’ James told reporters last month. ‘‘It’s not rocket science.’’

A year ago at this time, the Pelicans had perhaps the most dominant frontcourt in the NBA with Davis lining up with DeMarcus Cousins. Then Cousins tore an Achilles’ tendon, and wound up signing this past summer with Golden State.

It has not been a good month for New Orleans sports fans.

Saints fans are still reeling from a noncall for pass interference last week that played a major role in their team losing the NFC Championship game to the Los Angeles Rams and being denied a Super Bowl berth.

And now, the news only gets worse with Davis saying he wants out.



bob
MY NOTE:  He wants to play for a contender?  For how long?  The Lakers aren't contenders and, while the addition of Davis would certainly improve them tremendously, the players they'd have to give up to get him would make it hard for them to compete this year.  Next year?  Sure, but next year LeBron will be 35.  We could give up Tatum, Rozier, Morris, anybody but both Tatum and Brown (and, of course, Kyrie) and we could compete well enough to get to the EC Finals this year and, importantly, for the next 5-10 years.


.

kdp59 wrote:watch out for Denver getting into the Davis trade mix.....

while they don't have a first this year they have lots of young players under contract they can move.

a deal with Harris, Plumlee and  Michael Porter along with a future first for Davis could be enticing for NO.

Agreed. They’re interesting. Could also look to move Moore as a replacement for Harris and I’d think that NO would be happy to move on from Hill’s contract. Milsap has about 30m this year and team option for next. That could be tradeable especially replacing him with Davis. Even more useful, Denver also has like 30m+ in trade exceptions.

KyleCleric wrote:

kdp59 wrote:watch out for Denver getting into the Davis trade mix.....

while they don't have a first this year they have lots of young players under contract they can move.

a deal with Harris, Plumlee and  Michael Porter along with a future first for Davis could be enticing for NO.

Agreed. They’re interesting. Could also look to move Moore as a replacement for Harris and I’d think that NO would be happy to move on from Hill’s contract. Milsap has about 30m this year and team option for next. That could be tradeable especially replacing him with Davis. Even more useful, Denver also has like 30m+ in trade exceptions.

What would Denver give up when the odds are strong that Davis would be a rental?
I would think a package from the Lakers or Celtics would be stronger because they would have more confidence that AD will stay there.

As for trade exceptions, they cannot be combined to trade for a large contract.
Denver could use them if New Orleans forced Denver to take back an unwanted contract with AD.

I see no incentive for NO to make a deal before the trading deadline because AD is still under contract for another year and everybody knows that Boston can assembled the best package.  NOLA will likely wait until the summer to get a deal done.

In the meantime the Celtics need to go about the business of winning basketball games.  This is going to be an on-going distraction for the team but they must find a way to focus on the job at hand.

One thing is certain to me.  As much as I appreciate the sheer talent that AD brings to the table he is not the only path to greatness.  He could be nothing more than a shiny ornament on a Christmas Tree with no presents underneath.  Would Boston be giving up too much value in exchange for Davis?  They would be forced to part with Marcus Smart  to make the numbers work unless MM or TR agreed to a sign and trade and NOLA wanted them.  Marcus Smart has shocked my senses.  I never thought he could become a 2-way player in year 5 of his career but that is exactly what he has become.  His value is sky-high.  So Marcus has finally become a shot maker and we are ready to trade him? Trade away his amazing defensive abilities in the process?

So as is customary for me, I am making a contrary argument against the trade.  As Kleen knows I like to argue both sides.

So start with Smart and if Tatum was in the mix or Jaylen you have moved two out of 3 of your best young talent.  But there is more.  Now you have to start slicing away at your rotation depth to make the dollars match up.  Add in one or two first rounders and you have pillaged  your bank account and have a meager reserve left to spend.

You probably lose Terry and Morris to free agency and if you also lose Smart and Jaylen for example you have decimated the central core of your defense. AD does not compensate defensively in today's NBA where perimeter defenders are probably the most important foundation for a great defense.

How am I doing so far?

The very idea of making a trade for an elite big man is really about securing the middle deep into the future as AH ages.  You are sitting on at least 3 first round picks this year maybe 4.  The Memphis pick makes it 4 but if it does not convert this year it's value increases with time like a fine bottle of wine.  

In essence you can easily forego a pursuit of Anthony Davis and use your draft assets to draft a young promising big man. Or you can trade for a good one and  keep the young developing core together (Smart, Tatum and Brown)

If you weigh both sides of the argument I think I may have convinced myself that a trade for Anthony Davis is not what the Celtics need to do.

tjmakz wrote:

KyleCleric wrote:

kdp59 wrote:watch out for Denver getting into the Davis trade mix.....

while they don't have a first this year they have lots of young players under contract they can move.

a deal with Harris, Plumlee and  Michael Porter along with a future first for Davis could be enticing for NO.

Agreed. They’re interesting. Could also look to move Moore as a replacement for Harris and I’d think that NO would be happy to move on from Hill’s contract. Milsap has about 30m this year and team option for next. That could be tradeable especially replacing him with Davis. Even more useful, Denver also has like 30m+ in trade exceptions.

What would Denver give up when the odds are strong that Davis would be a rental?
I would think a package from the Lakers or Celtics would be stronger because they would have more confidence that AD will stay there.

As for trade exceptions, they cannot be combined to trade for a large contract.
Denver could use them if New Orleans forced Denver to take back an unwanted contract with AD.

sorry but Denver is more of a real contender than the Lakers now and likely in the future and their owners have shown they WILL pay players  too.


Harris is a young quality guard on a long term deal I think now. Plumlee has been a starting big man and has a couple years on a market deal also. Porter is the wild card, he was considered a top lottery pick before the back issue and if healthy could be a third quality starter for NO to build with.

is Ball, Kuzma and Zubic a better group?

I guess that depends on who's looking at it

kdp59 wrote:

tjmakz wrote:

KyleCleric wrote:

kdp59 wrote:watch out for Denver getting into the Davis trade mix.....

while they don't have a first this year they have lots of young players under contract they can move.

a deal with Harris, Plumlee and  Michael Porter along with a future first for Davis could be enticing for NO.

Agreed. They’re interesting. Could also look to move Moore as a replacement for Harris and I’d think that NO would be happy to move on from Hill’s contract. Milsap has about 30m this year and team option for next. That could be tradeable especially replacing him with Davis. Even more useful, Denver also has like 30m+ in trade exceptions.

What would Denver give up when the odds are strong that Davis would be a rental?
I would think a package from the Lakers or Celtics would be stronger because they would have more confidence that AD will stay there.

As for trade exceptions, they cannot be combined to trade for a large contract.
Denver could use them if New Orleans forced Denver to take back an unwanted contract with AD.

sorry but Denver is more of a real contender than the Lakers now and likely in the future and their owners have shown they WILL pay players  too.


Harris is a young quality guard  on a long term deal I think now. Plumlee has been a starting big man and has a couple years on a market deal also. Porter is the wild card, he was considered a top lottery pick before the back issue and if healthy could be a third quality starter for NO to build with.

is Ball, Kuzma and Zubic a better group?

I guess that depends on who's looking at it

I don't think Harris, Plumlee and Porter is close to the Lakers package.
For age, potential and Porter's serious back issues.

My point is, would AD choose to re-sign with Denver just because they traded for him?
It seems like he has a long term plan in mind which excludes small and mid-market teams.

Is Denver really more of a real contender than the Lakers?
When Lebron went down the Lakers were 20-14. Denver was 23-11 in their first 34 games.
If you had to bet money on a 7 game series of Denver against the Lakers, who would you choose?
The Las Vegas odds still have the Lakers with a better odds to win the 2019 NBA Championship.

I like Gary Harris more than the other players. Aside from being the best player, he will have 3 more years of control at a reasonable rate and I would think fit well with Holiday.

Hi,
My question is will Danny give an arm and a leg for just 1 year rental?
I'm not sure if AD doesn't give some guaranty that he's staying Danny will give up 5-7 years (IMO, JB/JT+picks can sustain Celtics as contender) for just 1 year.
Am I missing something?

AK

I go with you dboss. Just does not sit with me well, that is all. I am not in love with giving up our core of young guys

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I go with you dboss.  Just does not sit with me well, that is all.  I am not in love with giving up our core of young guys

I feel that way as well. Im not even particularly thrilled with Kyrie. It wouldn’t bother me if he left at the end of the season and we extended Rozier instead.

That's where you lose me, Kyrie is one special player. I am in no way ready to hand the reigns of this team over to Rozier. I am tired of all the negative stories out there about Kyrie leaving. What a mistake he would make.

Boy, I always hate trading deadline time. Too many crazy rumors out there.

There is one thing I would not mind happening, If IT comes back good, I wish they could convince him to become a 6th man off the bench. That would be awesome, only if he gets back to where he would be a threat. I have said for years that the Celtics need a
"gunslinger" off the bench, IT could be that guy

RosalieTCeltics wrote:That's where you lose me, Kyrie is one special player. I am in no way ready to hand the reigns of this team over to Rozier.  I am tired of all the negative stories out there about Kyrie leaving.  What a mistake he would make.

Boy, I always hate trading deadline time. Too many crazy rumors out there.  

There is one thing I would not mind happening, If IT comes back good, I wish they could convince him to become a 6th man off the bench. That would be awesome, only if he gets back to where he would be a threat. I have said for years that the Celtics need a
"gunslinger" off the bench, IT could be that guy

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/25796593/denver-nuggets-hopeful-february-return-isaiah-thomas


he might be back soon.

The story after that IT story that you forwarded was interesting. It was about the present ownership of New
Orleans. This whole thing is such a laid out plan, forcing NO to make the decision now rather than later. The whole thing stinks

Gery Woelfel
@GeryWoelfel
The Bucks have entered the Anthony Davis sweepstakes and, according to sources,, have offered the Pelicans any players on their roster not named Giannis.

399
8:45 AM - Jan 29, 2019



bob



.

RosalieTCeltics wrote:

There is one thing I would not mind happening, If IT comes back good, I wish they could convince him to become a 6th man off the bench. That would be awesome, only if he gets back to where he would be a threat. I have said for years that the Celtics need a
"gunslinger" off the bench, IT could be that guy

Just the thought of IT returning to the Celtics in a meaningful role warms my heart. I love that guy, and no doubt he could provide some scoring punch off the bench...

$50k fine on a $27.4M salary. What a joke.
Do we really want AD on a one year rental while trading away valuable long term assets - JT +++?
Danny would probably demand an assurance from AD that he would resign in 2020.

If this trade does not happen by the trade deadline it is a clear indication that NOLA is waiting for Boston.  All the other teams that make their bid now and are rejected is a clear indication that Boston holds all the cards.

I see a lot of fake news floating around about Kyrie not staying with Boston even though he announced that he would stay.  Are the Russians anti-Celtics fans?  Who on earth is floating these narratives?

What we are seeing here is a lot of smoke and mirrors.  Kyrie practicing a Lebron style passive aggressive behavior with the fake apology.  The truth is that James and Irving are competing for Davis.  The Lebron/Laker camp wants Davis to think that Irving will not resign.  That has to be the stupidest goddamn narrative I have seen.  It's like Danny went out and got Irving's buddy and now Irving does not want to play with him.  Really?

What these fools seem to overlooked is the fact that NOLA does not give a shit if Davis does not resign with the team he is traded to.  There is NO seller's remorse as long as they extract measurable value in the trade.  Boston has more assets to make the deal than any team.  That is the bottom line for NOLA.  Magic Johnson knows that Danny is a master of the game. and he also knows that Danny got more assets to do the deal.  So all the BS rumors are simply designed to level a playing field that favors Boston.

Sorry, if DA wants Davis he got him.  

I am not for or against the trade.  In a political sense, I am UNDECIDED

Can we have a simple poll.  no qualifiers,  a yea or nay vote. If voters have stipulations we should see a lot of undecided votes.  State your qualifiers if you have one.  i.e. you can have Jaylen but not Tatum or I am good keeping Jaylen or no more than 2 picks or 1 pick...whatever.

We need a poll please.

In war, the first casualty is truth. It's Celts v. Lakers redux. Sure hope we win this war.

worcester wrote:In war, the first casualty is truth. It's Celts v. Lakers redux. Sure hope we win this war.

Worcester

Always has been. The Celtics cannot lose the war with or without Davis.

It is quite fascinating to see. There are only two real players in this war Celtics/Lakers and one player to end it, NOLA.

Without AD Celts could still win in the long term. With him LA could win in the short term but lose long term. With him signed to a long term deal, Celts could win long and short term.

cowens/oldschool wrote:I said I don’t mind if we do nothing, as dboss pointed out earlier, we have a good chance of losing Rozier and Morris. If Pelicans want Smart and JT or Smart and JB with picks and other filler to make salaries work, we could be giving up too much young wing/perimeter talent. The reason no teams have won with a dominant big recently is there are teams with too much perimeter talent that overcome those big teams with not enough perimeter help for the big man. That could be the case we could put ourselves in. I really love the core of Smart, JT, JB, they can make any elite point look good. Smarts offense is finally evolving and JT and JB could be the best wing combo in the league if we just keep them together....giving up 2 out of 3 with Morris and Rozier leaving leaves the wildcard Hayward, can he come all the way back next year...???

Cow that is pretty much my do not do the deal argument.

But Danny Ainge has his own perception of things. He has the unique opportunity to bring together, in their prime, 2 elite players. He can do this and still retain one of his 3rd pick guys plus veteran Horford. At that point whatever he gets from GH is gravy. Filling out the rotation is the least of his worries.

The time line remains for his 2 elite guys and he will still have draft picks to use assuming he does not part with more than 2 to make the deal.

I knew Kryrie had talent but since watching him game after game I am blown away by his talent level. Anthony Davis is 2nd in the NBA in scoring, 3rd in block shots and 4th in rebounds. He shoots over 80% from the line and 4th in assist among all PF. He handles the ball like a guard and I would bet that Stevens turns him into a knock down 3 point shooter as well. He is only 25 years old. Super talent does not come cheap.

His value because he is 6' 11" is as high as any player in the NBA.

I am not going to be upset if no deal is made and I am not going to be upset if he is introduced to the media in July with his #23 Celtic jersey.

Both true Dboss and Cow.

Still I would hate to give up both Smart and JT or JB plus picks. Especially Smart, although JT and JB may become the perennial all stats.