The Pelicans reached out to the Celtics this week and have engaged in talks about the possible framework of a trade for Anthony Davis, reports Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
According to Himmelsbach, the Pelicans have pushed the Celtics to make guarantees on specific packages they’d be willing to offer for Davis in the summer to ensure that if they keep the All-NBA big man at the deadline, it would be for good reason. Due to an obscure rule related to the designated rookie extension, the C’s are ineligible to acquire AD now as long as Kyrie Irving remains on the roster.
Boston has been reluctant to make any specific promises, since a lot could change in five months. However, sources tell Himmelsbach that the Celtics have made it clear that they’ll be prepared to offer an “explosive” package for Davis when the time comes, and that no player or pick will be off-limits. The club’s collection of assets includes Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and a slew of future first-round picks, including selections from the Kings, Clippers, and Grizzlies.
Himmelsbach’s report covers similar ground to one we relayed earlier today, which indicated that the Pelicans and Celtics have “extensively” discussed Tatum. Boston is understandably unwilling to promise that the former No. 3 pick will be on the table in the offseason, since the landscape could theoretically change significantly between now and then — for instance, Davis could suffer a major injury or Tatum could help lead the C’s to a championship. However, based on various reports, it sounds like the Celtics are giving the Pelicans the impression that Tatum will probably be available.
Davis’ camp has conveyed that Boston isn’t a preferred landing spot for the Pelicans star, but the Celtics are undeterred by those reports, writes Himmelsbach. There’s a belief within the organization that if Davis and Irving are united in the summer, “any unease that either of them has about the future would be washed away,” he adds.
Despite all the rumors swirling around Davis and Irving at the moment, team ownership has made it clear that the focus of this season should be on trying to win a title, per Himmelsbach. The Celtics still believe that’s possible without making any major changes, given their recent hot streak and rise up the Eastern standings.
Don’t do it Danny. It ain’t worth it
One could credit Ainge for being aggressive in setting his roster but players across the league must now also view him as fickle and utterly disloyal.
I agree, but I don’t know if that’s fair. If he had held onto IT where would the team be now? It’s true that IT bled green (I love the guy) but he basically hasn’t been even a shell of himself and may never be again. The Celtics are better without him, as much as I miss the guy and his heart.
If AD isn’t traded by the deadline, then I’d think that all of Tatum, Brown, and Smart are going to have to assume that they’ve already been “dealt” in a few months.
Not great for team chemistry.
Yeah really bad. It must suck for the players knowing that anyone could be traded at any moment. If I were a player I’d want out.
Just like when Pacers fans were yelling “LeBron’s gonna trade you” at Brandon Ingram last night. The Lakers lost 136-94.
That was hilarious.
This is Boston promising the world to New Orleans so they don’t trade him to the Lakers then come the summer Boston will be like “oh yeah that’s not happening“
can you imagine…
why wouldn’t KD sign for a couple of rings? c’s be a hot landing spot
If that happens, not many GMs would be lining up to deal with Ainge. I don’t think Ainge would want to ruin his reputation just to stick it to a New Orleans GM that probably won’t even be employed much longer.
They would be sticking it to LA
Exactly. This is Boston saying ‘don’t take their offer, ours will be subpar if you wait…you idiot’.
So the Lakers offered 5 players under the age of 23 and two first round picks and the Pels have not responded. But they do calm the Celts and are told that they will offere an “explosive” package. Boy are they being taken to the cleaners. What a bunch of morons running that team
The problem is that non-Lakers fans realize that the players offered – while young and once high-picks – aren’t actually very good at basketball.
One Tatum is worth more than a bunch of “meh” guys.
And I don’t even think Tatum is the superstar in waiting that everyone else does.
But until the Lakers put a deal together with a slew of 1st round picks, then the Pelicans should hold out. That said, the Pelicans are a terribly run organization, so even if the Lakers were offering a good deal, I’m not sure they’d be able to realize it.
Has nothing to do with being a Laker fan or not. Id rather not trade five guys for one and an expiring contract. I’d rather give them picks up the wazoo. Picks don’t always work out. I just don’t think the Pels will get anything close to this for Davis. The reality is that they won’t deal with the Lakers because they perceive that they created this drama which is probably true but all they are doing now is cutting of their nose in spite of their face
I don’t think you’re necessarily wrong.
Agree
I wouldn’t call any of those players the Lakers offered bad at basketball, and I’m a Pacers fan. Ingram still has a lot of upside; he has the tools to be good defensively and has shown glimmers of being a solid 3-and-D wing. Kuzma might not be a great defender, but has proven that he can score…he probably won’t be a championship team’s 1st or 2nd best player but can probably be that needed 3rd option. And Hart is another solid rotational 3-and-D wing. Are the four main pieces slightly overrated? Probably. I would hardly call them bad at basketball though.
The anti Lakers derangement is strong. Whenever people talk about Celtic players its “give these kids some time to develop and they will be future stars”. When its the Lakers people say their young guys are a finished product and cant get better. Its so obvious they cant even hide it anymore. This is evdient with the sudden praise and love for Dlo and Randle, but when they were Lakers people called them underwhelming
Randle always had small arms. Always will.
Dlo was just emotionally immature. I have no idea why they Lakers (or anyone else) gave up on him so fast.
Ball doesn’t want to go to the Pelicans, and he still hasn’t shown that he’s a capable starter. Ingram is meh. Kuzma is a one way player.
The advanced stats tell the truth about who those players are right now, and they also suggest things about who those players will be. Growth and development aren’t always easy to predict, and the numbers can be wrong. But the numbers – to me – don’t paint a very compelling picture.
Sometimes, you just are what you are. Maybe they figure it out, but they’re just not nearly as good as Lakers fans want them to be.
Ingram puts up similar numbers to Tatum. Some things favor Tatum, some Ingram but no one running away with any category. Yet you portray Tatum as some golden child and Ingram as “meh”. Kuzma is 1 dimensional but lets not act like the poor defense eliminates how good offensively he is.
Ya was gonna say, Kuzma’s a pretty special offensive player.
What favors Tatum the most is he is the guy the Pelicans want the most.
Yeah, Tatum is better than any player the Lakers have offered.
for the purpose of this trade I’ll give you that Tatum is better than Ingram. But they can’t trade now. So you are going to take Ainges word that he will deal Tatum. Oops he didn’t say that. New Orleans is gonna get screwed
Tatum’s name isn’t ‘explosive’. Ainge screwing Demps hardcore.
Ya think?!
He was talking about the whole package. The Pelicans prefer the Celtics package.
Lonzo and lavar lol who in their right mind wants that headache.
Lmao pelicans are a terrible franchise going ob what the snake danny ainge is telling them just to not promise tatum or anything of real value in the summer. I hope pelicans get screwed by celtics horribly.
Like we’ve been saying. The Pelicans don’t want to deal with the Lakers because they hold them responsible for AD saying he wanted traded. They don’t want to deal with a bunch of snakes.
So igniting phone calls is doing your job? That’s why they will never, ever win
Like they said on tv, the Lakers are making calls. Demps just hasn’t been returning them. The Lakers have had to make offers through the media because Demps doesn’t care to hear their offers.
I don’t understand how they can talk trades and the league doesn’t step in. Makes zero sense to. This was the Lakers a they had Kyrie on their team they be fine somehow.
There’s no rule prohibiting them from talking.
It wouldn’t be considered some form of tampering?
Nope — if Celtics (or any other team) were talking directly with Davis’ camp, then sure. But there’s no rule preventing two teams from talking about pretty much anything they want. After all, if the Celtics were willing to give up Kyrie for AD, they could do a deal right now if they wanted to!
Luke, new rumor. Hawks may be interested in trying to acquire Markelle Fultz for Dwayne Dedmon.
I think that was from last week? link to hoopsrumors.com
The Celtics probably are willing to do that, but I doubt the Pelicans want to.
Don’t think it really makes sense for either team, to be honest (and in Himmelsbach’s full story, he mentions that it’s not a scenario that interests the Celtics).
If Boston really wanted AD, wouldn’t they just trade Irving and then get AD?
They want them both so that they both want to stay together.
They want to pair them, cause that’s probably the only way Davis stays.
ah, got it. Makes sense. thanks, don’t follow basketball rumors/teams much.
Also if the Celtics are serious here is what happens they would have to blow up their entire roster to get him he would be there for one season lose in the finals and then he signs with the Lakers and now Boston has no young core as well as no high draft picks and would then start a rebuilding. Period
Right. Just like how Paul George was *defnitely* signing with LA and Kawhi will *defnitely* sign with them. Things change. Just because AD wants to be a Laker right now doesn’t mean that he won’t change his mind over a year from now
You have a point but then again when did Paul George ever say no way no chance is he ever re-signing with Oklahoma City? The answer? Never.
This is my wet dream.
Won’t AD and Kyrie both make $40mm with max contracts and Hayward $30mm? If Ainge wants AD as bad as he says he does, it looks like he’d have to include Horford to avoid an astronomical luxury tax. I see the Celts keeping Brown too, since Smart isn’t the greatest shooter in the world. I don’t see the Lakers beating an offer of Horford, Tatum, Rozier (sign and trade), and their 4 1st round picks. @imindless says Ainge is a snack. Wasn’t IT with the Lakers before free agency? Why isn’t he with the Lakers on a max contract? If it’s anybody that’s a snake, it’s Rich Paul. He started it and is the one trying to keep anyone besides the Lakers from bidding.
I read some believe Paul made up the deal about Davis saying he’d only sign extension with 4 teams because he knew the Bucks, Knicks, and Clippers didn’t have the assets, and he trying to scare off any other bidders.
Isn’t Tatum not having a great year ?
Lonzo is hurt and came off a great rookie year adding Lebron can be difficult for any team to adjust to. Ingram same thing he’s been improving adding Lebron will decrease your stats. Kuzma he’s good.
All these young guys are being written off way to early. Lonzo Kuzma Ingram would be all be top 6 picks in the draft today if they were thrown in the pool.
Pelicans are foolish to leave 2 firsts zubac hart Ingram Kuzma and Lonzo on the table.
Lakers need to move attention to Beal and try for someone in the summer Klay or Irving. Lebron having Klay and Beal would be awesome for the Lakers and they get to keep a lot of assets.
Tatum isn’t having a good year compared to what he showed last year but he is still incredibly valuable.
Pelicans won’t trade AD to lakers by tomorrow because they are under the impression they can get that same deal from lakers in the summer.
If the Celtics get kyrie to resign then They have the best package by far to offer and the pelicans will snap it up.
I really think the Pelicans are playing with fire here. Just look at what happened to Boogie. All it takes is one time AD coming down wrong and those 5 players and how ever many picks become nothing. If the Lakers are truly offering what they are offering, it is best to take it instead of gambling that another offer will be only incrementally better.
If you are walking through the desert and you spot a puddle of water, you drink it. You don’t keep walking hoping to find a bottle of Evian.
And five years from now The Celtics will trade a bunch of draft picks for a young star, a guy Tatum for example. Let’s just stick with the plan, develop an exciting young group of players and let these big name guys get their $40 million elsewhere.
Thank you. I couldn’t agree more. Resign Rozier and Morris, keep everyone together, use the draft picks in a smart way (either in a trade or actually using them), and it’ll be a really good team. [I’ve always wanted to talk to Nomar’s dad!! :0)]
As a Laker fan i agree with you 200 percent. I want my guys to grow together.
What an arrogant franchise.
“Explosive” usually describes diarrhoea.
Don’t include smart in this trade!! He is the heart and soul of this team.