The ouster of Pelicans GM Dell Demps could complicate the Knicks‘ hopes of landing Anthony Davis in a trade this summer, writes Frank Isola of The Athletic.
Knicks president Steve Mills had informal talks with Demps last month about a deal involving Davis and Kristaps Porzingis, according to Isola. Porzingis was since shipped to the Mavericks in a trade that enabled New York to open two max salary slots for free agency.
A source tells Isola that Demps wanted to wait until after the draft lottery before resuming talks so he would know where New York would be picking. Second in the league in our current Reverse Standings, the Knicks have a 14% chance of winning the lottery and getting a shot at Duke standout Zion Williamson, whom Demps was intrigued by. Demps also has a prior connection with New York, having served as a scout for the organization.
The team has a much different relationship with former Cavaliers GM David Griffin, who is considered one of the potential front-runners to replace Demps in New Orleans. Another source tells Isola that Griffin was considering an offer to become GM of the Knicks two years ago, but turned it down when he discovered he wouldn’t be solely in charge of personnel decisions. While Griffin was negotiating with New York, Mills signed Tim Hardaway Jr. to a long-term contract.
Another top contender for the Pelicans post, Celtics assistant GM Michael Zarren, presents an even worse scenario for the Knicks and Lakers, Isola adds. Zarren is considered “the right-hand man” to Boston GM Danny Ainge and has a strong familiarity with the young players who would be key to any deal with the Celtics.
I admired how Demps handled Davis at the deadline, although I’m sure there is plenty we outsiders don’t know.
Demps did a horrible job of handling the Davis situation. He trolled the lakers (might have felt good to do) but it also might have taken the lakers out of the Davis sweepstakes. That means the pels lose the lakers offers in negotiations against other teams. That gives them less leverage to go up against Angie(who has lost a trade never)
You really think the Lakers won’t want one of the best players in the league because they had to wait 3 or 4 months?? Lebron is going to be all over magic to bring in AD and that pressure will always keep them in the mix
The Pelicans (Demps more specifically) trolled themselves by holding out for the Celtics offer. I get it makes the most sense to wait and field as many offers as possible, but its crazy to hold on to a rumored promise that Ainge is going to include Tatum in a trade for AD. I still stand by the belief that Boston won’t offer Tatum unless AD agrees to resign and New Orleans won’t send AD to Boston unless Tatum is included (or they send him to Boston to spite LA, which is a horrible way to run a team). If the Lakers rumored offer is still on the table come the offseason, they still have a better offer than Boston unless they offer Tatum.
The Lakers had no leverage in Davis talks.
Frank is a Lebrun fan and wants his man to get AD. The laker talent…other than Kuzma…is crap. Losto Ball ?? Brandon Enigma ?? Pure Crap!!
You admire how he lost the chance at Kuzma Ingram Ball and a 1st round pick lol. Missed opportunity that New Orleans clearly wish they took since they fired him
In the end AD to Boston is more based on how greedy the pells get, Boston can offer NO by far the best trade package which is obvious to everyone. It’s a matter of what AD wants and if kryrie resigns or not. In the end I think brown morris and 2-3 first round picks get it done. Moving Tatum does not make an AD trade worth it. You’ll have AD and Kyrie and little to nothing else at that point.
If the Pelicans turned down Ball, Kuzma, Ingram, draft picks and salary-cap relief for Davis why would they accept Brown, Morris (who is a FA after this year) and 2-3 first rounders? There is a 0% chance that gets it done.
You are so right dude! Why all the Boston fans think they can get AD for peanuts, you don’t get the best player in the league for JB, Morris (lol) & some worthless picks, at least offer all the best you have, can’t keep anything behind.
Best player? What league are you watching?
Haha exactly, cesc! What would you say gets it done? I would say Tatum along with any combo of Rozier, Brown and Smart and draft picks. Tatum has to be in the deal.
Actually, you may not even have Kyrie, since he’s a free agent
Kyrie requested to be traded to Knicks when he was in Cleveland but the NO Interim GM Danny Ferry botched it because he wanted the Knicks GM job and was turned down. Now he will give the Knicks a hard time since he’s the new GM and he doesn’t want the Knicks to get AD. It won’t stop KD and Kyrie though. They have room for 2 Superstars!
sorry it was Griffin and not Ferry.
That version of events is erroneous, for instance Irving had a 4team shortlist. I do not know of a reason why either ex-Cavs-GM would be anti-Knicks, at least while employed in a similar job. Maybe Griffin might have some bitterness while unemployed but really?
Even if so, and I doubt it, it would be less of an obstacle than owner Benson being anti-Lakers.
Does Boston want to repeat the same mistake of trading their assets for another expiring contract like Kyrie and risk getting nothing in return but playing time for a year or 2? Come on. They should have learned by now. They’ve heard AD’s father said he doesn’t want his son to sign in Boston and would they go ahead and give up picks and players only to see AD sign elsewhere? WOW!
AD and his father doesn’t want Boston. Don’t be so desperate.
i wouldn’t keep tatum if they get AD. he needs his own situation to fully blossom
How is Brown, Morris and 2-3 first rounders better than the Lakers’ rumored offer? Ingram or Kuzma are basically equivalent (or more) valuable than Brown, so the other one plus Ball/Hart are more valuable than Morris. And the first round picks that are potentially coming to Boston this year aren’t as valuable as they once were. Memphis’ pick (top 8 protected) and the Clippers’ pick (lottery protected) might not even convey this year while Sacramento’s pick is looking like it will be at the end of the lottery/just outside the lottery.
I wonder if he got fired because he turned down the whole Laker team for AD? I’m a Laker fan and I’m glad he turned it down. It was just too much to give away for one guy. Made no sense.
He turned down a trade for one of the best players for players on a team that won’t make the playoffs. Yeah that cost him his job.
The “best player” isn’t making play offs either
Exactly why he asked to be traded
A team starting 2-3 rookies didn’t make the playoffs? I’m shocked.
Yeah I know. It really did seem like it could have been a Herschel Walker type trade for the Pelicans. But I guess we’ll never know now.
Im on the fence as a Celtics fan. A Kyrie/Davis tandem with a got his shizz together Hayward and a long shot chance Tatum isnt traded would be insane. But I would be just as happy if an AD trade didnt happen and Kyrie bolted. The way that team played last year when Kyrie was hurt was amazing. I almost would rather have brown/tatum/smart/rozier/horford/morris healthy
This helps NYK: KLove is back, and CLE never wanted to tank.
Heck if ATL makes a strong (losing) effort, they should be able to catch the Cavs.
I think the Hawks have been one of the positive surprises of the season, before starting they were considered to be clearly the worst team in the league, but they have played really well, specially after Collins come back & they are projected to end up with close to 30 wins, which I think is one of the best performances of the season, Lloyd has done a great job in Atlanta, I really think they might have a good future going forward, definitely no one can say Atlanta did any tanking at all, kudos for them.
Exactly cesc. Atl,BK,Orl and Sac have been exactly what the league needs. Young players exceeding expectations for teams that actually try to win games. Throw in Memphis too although they might be better off losing a little more.
Griffin knows Mills likes to play GM and is an idiot. So does everyone else.
Zarren might give Ainge a chance to put up the best package. So would anyone else.
The value a top 3 pick (even in this draft) is pretty established, and it’s not going to vary much based on who they hire. That hire is going to have to have a set to pass on the #1 pick for any other package, including anything Boston can put together.
Kyrie requested to be traded to Knicks when he was in Cleveland but the NO Interim GM Danny Ferry botched it because he wanted the Knicks GM job and was turned down. Now he will give the Knicks a hard time since he’s the new GM and he doesn’t want the Knicks to get AD. It won’t stop KD and Kyrie though. They have room for 2 Superstars!
What are you talking about? Griffin was never in a position to trade KI to the Knicks while the Knicks had a FO opening. He was let go by the Cavs before the 2017 draft (and prior to Jackson being let go, and the trade deadline had long passed). Any Knicks trade for KI was discussed between others.
No it’s not Demps. It’s Griffin. Wait and see. He is very spiteful too. He didn’t get his GM dream job at the Knicks and he will try to get even with them. He loves the Celtics and that’s why even when he was fired from the Cavs he encouraged Kyrie to go there instead of his wish to play for the Knicks! He’s said that he wanted more power and control with the Knicks and that Steve Mills wouldn’t give it to him so he was mad. Look it up! It would have been too much power battle! Knick didn’t need his negative vibes! So glad! He will do everything he can to avoid dealing with the Knicks. Guarantee! But the Knicks will prevail in other areas and they will be a team to beat come next season especially if they get KD and maybe Kyrie! plus a chance to get Zion who NO wants but if the Knicks get him it won’t be possible.
It didn’t matter what Griffin said or didn’t say to KI about the Knicks after he was fired. Neither Griffin nor KI had any say in where KI would go. He had 2 years left on his contract and had no direct or indirect say over where he went. Cavs (Altman) decided. Knicks would have him if they included KP.
I wish they hired Griffin, and gave him the power he wanted, with Mills sticking to marketing. We would never have signed THJ, and could have done something decent with that cap space. We’d still have KP. All around better mind than the Mills, Perry and Fizdale.
When Griffin was fired he still had contacts with the Cavs management and influenced Kyrie’s trade destination and that was the time the Knicks turned him down! Boston was silly to do such a deal while giving up assets and no guarantee that he would sign with them. Same thing could happen to Boston if they trade for AD!!!!! NOT SMART!
jeal- You have a weird Griffin thing, and are making things up.
Griffin likes the Celtics and that’s why even when he was fired from the Cavs he encouraged Kyrie to go there instead of his wish to play for the Knicks!
it was Griffin not Danny Ferry. Sorry.
Tired of AD talk, for a “Superstar” he’s soft and hasn’t proven that he’s a winner. If some of the packages that have been rumoured are true, let him wallow in NO for the first bit of next year, and wait to see if the price drops from the Pels. If they’re still expecting to get a king’s ransom for a guy who has won one playoff series, and was 10 games below .500 this year when he made his trade request despite having borderline All-Star Jrue, plus really solid guys like Randle and Miro, let him sit there the rest of the year and let the FA bidding begin in 2020.
AD will be traded to lakers (la will give up the entire young core) & 2 picks, Kyrie or more than likely Klay will sign w lakers. Taking bets anyone?
First off if I am NOLA, I would want a New GM to be in charge of the Rebuild. Not demps, he had his chance to build around AD and it failed
He lost his job? He must be down in the demps