Those holding out hope for an Anthony Davis trade today (or for framework of a deal to be in place at the 3 p.m. deadline) did not get their wish.
Both Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, and the team itself have confirmed Davis will not be traded today. In not doing so, it pushes a potential Davis swap into the offeason at the earliest.
New Orleans confirms it has kept Anthony Davis past the trade deadline, pushing talks into the offseason.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 7, 2019
Anthony Davis’ agent Rich Paul tells me Davis is not being traded today
— Joe Vardon (@joevardon) February 7, 2019
The news isn’t much of a surprise, as the tea leaves this morning surrounding a Davis trade seemed to indicate he would not be dealt. Marc Stein of The New York Times reported as much, while noting that the New York Knicks were seen to be on equal footing with the Lakers in the chase for keeping Davis long term.
Now that Davis is with the Pelicans for the rest of 2018-19, he is expecting to be in the lineup and play out the rest of the season there, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Davis, who was available to play last night, did not do so in a 125-120 road win against the Chicago Bulls. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters before the game that Davis will not play at least through the trade deadline.
After the Pelicans’ 109-107 home loss to the Indiana Pacers on Feb. 4, coach Alvin Gentry said Davis has been “cleared to practice” as he recovers from a sprained left index finger that has sidelined him since the end of a loss at Portland on Jan. 18.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday morning that the Lakers were “running low on hope” for landing Davis, in particular that the Pelicans will engage the Lakers in time to get a deal done. Earlier this week, the Lakers reportedly pulled out of trade talks with New Orleans over the Pelicans’ “outrageous” trade demandsand because of their lack of initiative in the trade process.
Davis, who was available to play last night, did not do so in a 125-120 road win against the Chicago Bulls. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters before the game that Davis will not play at least through the trade deadline. Davis had been sidelined with a sprained left index finger that he suffered Jan. 18 in Portland.
On Tuesday, Wojnarowski reported the Lakers were pessimistic about a Davis trade getting done before the Feb. 7 trade deadline. The Lakers made a new offer for Davis yesterday with a trade that would have included multiple young players, future first-round picks and more. However, the Lakers have failed to get the Pelicans to budge much in dealing Davis.
The Pelicans, as of Monday’s reports, were seeking an offer that would overwhelm them with future Draft picks. The long and short of it all, it seems, is the clock is ticking and the Pelicans do not seem to be in a big hurry to deal Davis before the Feb. 7 trade deadline. For the Pelicans, the “overwhelming” card in the deal would look like this: four first-round and second-round picks as part of the trade package as New Orleans wants to be compensated for trading Davis to the Lakers now (instead of in the summer).
Also on Monday, an extended list of teams Davis would be willing to re-sign with emerged. That list reportedly consists of the Lakers, Knicks, Bucks and Clippers.
Davis requested his trade through his agent, Rich Paul, on Jan. 28. In theory, he could sign a 5-year, $240 million super max extension this summer with New Orleans. Or, he can become a free agent in the summer of 2020 when his current deal runs out. Davis is averaging 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 2.6 blocks per game this season.
A six-time All-Star, Davis was an All-NBA first team member in three of the last four seasons. He has made three All-Defensive teams in his career and is the Pelicans’ all-time leader in points scored, rebounds, blocks, field goals attempted and made and free throws attempted and made.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
