2:25pm: After meeting this morning in L.A., Griffin and Davis are expected to “continue a dialogue” going forward, league sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Griffin will continue to try to make his case for why AD should seriously consider staying in New Orleans.
9:39am: New Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin will get his opportunity to meet with star big man Anthony Davis today, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). While Charania’s report doesn’t include any additional details, Griffin previously said that the meeting would likely take place in Los Angeles.
Since being hired by the Pelicans last month to run the franchise’s front office, Griffin has been adamant about wanting to do all he can to retain Davis, despite the fact that the 26-year-old issued a trade request earlier this year.
Both before and after the draft lottery, reports indicated that Davis’ stance on that trade request remained unchanged, and that he still wants to be dealt to a new team. Now that he has a chance to sit down with his new star, Griffin will try to change Davis’ mind and convince him that he can lead a contender in New Orleans, particularly with the club in position to draft top prospect Zion Williamson next month.
Outside of the impending addition of Williamson, there are a number of factors working in Griffin’s favor. He has a good relationship with AD’s agent Rich Paul, who represented LeBron James when Griffin was the general manager in Cleveland. The Pelicans’ new executive VP of basketball operations also won’t be influenced by any past tension with Davis or his camp, since he wasn’t part of the organization when that trade request was made. Plus, New Orleans can still put a super-max extension offer on the table.
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If Davis sticks to his trade request and shows no interest in being part of the Pelicans’ long-term future, Griffin would have two viable options: Trade him this offseason, or hang onto him anyway with an eye toward moving him at the 2020 trade deadline (or changing his mind by then).
Earlier today, we ranked 25 of the most valuable trade assets held by a handful of the teams believed to be prime suitors for Davis.
question if griff was to trade #1(zion),holiday and hill for james harden would that make davis stay ?
No, but I’m assuming it’s because of the coach and city. Not the actual team itself.
No ones for sure but I think it has more to do with having no faith of winning in New Orleans and less about the city and the coach.
Why would he choose the lakers of all teams then? The pelicans at least have shown a willingness to improve internally and at the FO level.
Davis would be stupid to leave, he should sign the supermax.
NOLA burned their bridges with AD before Griffin arrived, there is no way AD can stay in NOLA even if he wants after the way he was treated. Griffin should be working on the best trade for the Pels & AD instead of wasting everybody’s time trying to talk him out of it.
Ummm….what exactly did the Pelican’s do wrong? By not giving in to an obvious underminging of their best player 2 years into his 5 year extension? Give me a break. I like LBJ and Paul but they did nothing to hide their intent and were borderline tampering imo.
Lonzo to the Bulls for the 7th and a second rounder. 4th, 7th, 2020 first round and Ingram for AD