New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Pelicans Shopped Mirotic, Randle, Moore

January 29th, 2019 at 8:56am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans spent the weekend trying to trade Nikola Mirotic, Julius Randle and E’Twaun Moore in exchange for draft picks, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his weekly podcast (hat tip to Andrew Lopez of The Times-Picayune).

“Over the weekend, I had heard from two separate teams that Mirotic, Randle and Moore had all been made available for picks,” Lowe said. “New Orleans is known for perhaps playing some misdirection, so teams didn’t know what to think of this. One team made of it, their guess and/or impression was, New Orleans was trying to get picks that it then flips for a big, big piece in a save-the-season trade.”

The other team told Lowe it also wasn’t sure how to interpret the Pelicans’ move and speculated that they might be giving up on this season and trying to build for the future. New Orleans is 13th in the East with a 22-28 record and is five and a half games out of a playoff spot.

Mirotic, who was acquired from the Bulls last season, will be a free agent in July and will be seeking a raise on his $12.5MM salary. Randle, who signed with the team over the summer, has a player option for next season worth a little more than $9MM. Moore is in his third season with the Pelicans and has one year left on his current contract at nearly $8.67MM.

New Orleans is trying to plan for the future without star big man Anthony Davis, who informed the team over the weekend that he won’t sign an extension this summer and wants to be traded.

AD Notes: Holiday, Aftermath, Odds, Injury

January 28th, 2019 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Guard Jrue Holiday admits the main reason he re-signed with the Pelicans was the presence of Anthony Davis, Andrew Lopez of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Holiday signed a five-year, $131.8MM contract in the summer of 2017. “He’s like 90 percent of the reason that I stayed,” Holiday said. “He’s a talent that comes once in a generation. A 7-footer who can do everything at his skill level.” Holiday revealed that Davis notified his teammates over the weekend of his decision to decline a super-max extension with the franchise and request a trade. “He had to what he had to do for his family and what’s best for his career,” Holiday said.

We have more on Davis and the Pelicans:

Davis’ decision is a failure at all levels of the franchise, including Davis himself, Scott Kushner of The Baton Rouge Advocate opines. Davis was unable to carry the franchise on his back, while Pelicans management failed to surround him with enough quality pieces. Instead of methodically building a deep roster of young talent through the draft, the Pelicans tried to take a shortcut into contention and that strategy blew up in their faces, Kushner notes. GM Dell Demps traded away his next seven first-round picks after Davis was drafted and that resulted in a shaky foundation, Kushner adds.
The Lakers are the favorites to land Davis’ services, Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston relays. Odds posted by B/R Betting have the Celtics as the second choice in the AD sweepstakes, followed by the Knicks, 76ers and Rockets.
Davis won’t play against the Rockets on Tuesday, according to Hunter Atkins of the Houston Chronicle. Davis will miss his fifth consecutive game due to a finger injury.
Davis’ salary options if he’s dealt are broken down in detail by Danny Leroux of The Athletic. Leroux also examines the logistics of making a swap. Any team other than the Kings, who have ample cap space, would have to send out a minimum of $20.25MM to make a trade happen.

Lonzo Ball’s Camp Doesn’t Want Him In New Orleans

January 28th, 2019 at 8:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lonzo Ball‘s camp would prefer that the second-year point guard be traded to a third team if talks between the Pelicans and Lakers heat up, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Los Angeles is one of the major players in the quest for Anthony Davis, whose desire to be traded became public on Monday.

Ball’s group would want him to go to a team that doesn’t already have an established point guard, Charania adds. New Orleans has Elfrid Payton and combo guard Jrue Holiday in starting roles.

The thinking among Ball’s people is curious, considering Payton isn’t on any list of elite point guards. The former Magic guard is averaging 9.8 PPG and 5.8 APG in 26.9 MPG.

If a deal was struck between the Pelicans and Lakers, Ball wouldn’t be able to play right away wherever he wound up. Ball suffered a high ankle sprain last week and will be sidelined 4-6 weeks.

Davis Could Be Fined For Trade Request

January 28th, 2019 at 5:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA is taking a dim view of the public declaration by Anthony Davis‘ agent Rich Paul that his client wants to be traded. League spokesman Mike Bass said the NBA has “commenced an investigation” upon reading reports regarding the Pelicans superstar and that “the process is ongoing,” the New York Times’ Marc Stein tweets.

An on-the-record request for a trade by an agent or a player is punishable and Davis could be fined, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

Paul told Wojnarowski that Davis had no intention of signing a super-max extension with New Orleans this summer and wanted to be dealt to a contender.

“Anthony wants to be traded to a team that allows him a chance to win consistently and compete for a championship,” Paul said. “Anthony wanted to be honest and clear with his intentions and that’s the reason for informing them of this decision now. That’s in the best interests of both Anthony’s and the organization’s future.”

There is precedent for league action, according to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Nate Robinson was fined $25K in 2009 when his agent, Aaron Goodwin, told reporters he asked the Knicks to trade his client. The league says players are responsible for public statements relating to them made by their representatives and that public trade requests are considered detrimental to the league, Zillgitt adds (Twitter links).

Pelicans Will Deal Davis “On Our Terms”

January 28th, 2019 at 4:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans will not be rushed into dealing superstar Anthony Davis. The team released a statement this afternoon, confirming that Davis’ representatives had informed the organization that he wouldn’t sign a contract extension and thus wanted to be dealt.

At least publicly, New Orleans’ front office isn’t going to be pressured into dealing Davis before the February 7th deadline. It will make a trade “on our terms and our timeline,” according to the statement. This confirms the earlier report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the Pelicans don’t want to deal Davis this season.

The statement also declared the franchise “will not be dictated by those outside of our organization.” That could be interpreted as a veiled threat to LeBron James‘ and Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, since the Lakers are considered as the most likely destination. The organization also requested that the NBA strictly enforce its tampering rules prior to any deal.

The full statement reads as follows:

“This past weekend, Anthony Davis’ representatives informed us that Anthony does not wish to sign a contract extension with our team and subsequently has requested a trade. Although we are disappointed in this decision, our organization’s top priority is to bring an NBA championship to our city and fans and build our team for long-term success. Relative to specific talks of a trade, we will do this on our terms and our timeline. One that makes the most sense for our team and it will not be dictated by those outside of our organization. We have also requested the League to strictly enforce the tampering rules associate with this transaction.”

Sixers Unlikely To Pursue Anthony Davis

January 28th, 2019 at 3:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Sixers have the pieces to put together a competitive offer for Anthony Davis, but the team currently has no plans to pursue a deal, sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

It’s hard to envision the Pelicans coveting a package centered around Jimmy Butler, and Joel Embiid simply isn’t going anywhere. That leaves Ben Simmons as the blue-chip asset which makes the most sense and a Simmons-led package would likely beat any other offer should the Sixers put it on the table.

Davis and Simmons are both represented by Rich Paul and a swap of the two is “highly unlikely,” Haynes writes. Philadelphia would be taking an incredible risk by dealing Simmons for Davis without assurance that Davis will stick around long-term.

Philadelphia could ostensibly put together a package without including their big three. Davis will bring in approximately $25.43MM this season and the Sixers a bevy of players on mid-sized deals, such as Wilson Chandler ($12.80MM), J.J. Redick ($12.25), Markelle Fultz ($8.34MM), and Mike Muscala ($5.00MM), whose salaries could be aggregated to match Davis’ figure.

The issue comes down to providing New Orleans value. Fultz was a former No. 1 overall pick but his struggles have deflated his price tag on the trade market, and the team’s veterans hold no value to a franchise that will ultimately begin a rebuild.

The Sixers wield draft capital, as they possess all their future first-round picks, though a closer look at the cupboard and the assets appear more glittery than golden. The Pelicans know that trading Davis to the Sixers would help them win more games and decrease the value of any of Philadelphia’s pick they receive.

The Sixers have an outside chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft should the Kings win the lottery (Sacramento’s pick will go to the Celtics if it’s not the top selection as part of 2017’s Fultz trade). The Kings currently sit 13th in our Reverse Standings, meaning if the season ended today, the odds of the pick becoming the top selection would be one percent.

The pick simply isn’t that valuable, given how the odds are to receive nothing (there would be a zero chance at keeping the pick if the Kings make the playoffs). On the other hand, if Davis is still available on the trade market in late spring and the pick becomes the top selection, is it worth trading the No. 1 pick for a player who may bolt in a year?

The team does own Miami’s 2021 unprotected first-round pick and it could be the key piece in making a splash that doesn’t involve its trading away a current member of its big three. Still, unless Davis adds Philadelphia to its wish list, Elton Brand & Co. will look elsewhere for another big addition.

Knicks, Lakers Expected To Make Offer For Anthony Davis

January 28th, 2019 at 2:43pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Knicks and Lakers are each preparing to make an offer to the Pelicans for Anthony Davis, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports.

The Lakers’ front office met earlier today to discuss potential offers as well as mapping out the franchise’s plans. LeBron James and Davis share an agent and speculation about Davis’ preference will continue to point at the 25-year-old coming to Los Angeles.

The Knicks may be the lead contender for Davis in the Eastern Conference. Haynes hears that the Celtics are not a top destination for Davis due to the uncertainty surrounding Kyrie Irving re-signing with the team. Irving vowed to stay in Boston at the beginning of the season, though Davis’ camp subscribes to the notion that the point guard re-signing is not a done deal.

Kristaps Porzingis and Kevin Knox headline the Knicks’ most valuable trade chips. New York will also have a top draft pick in June, which will certainly be among the favorites for the No. 1 pick leading up to the Draft Lottery.

If the Knicks land Davis, it would increase their chances of landing a second star. The team has long been a fan of Kevin Durant. Kemba Walker and Irving will both be available and would fit in nicely next to Davis.

Early reports of what the Pelicans may accept included Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma. Haynes believes Brandon Ingram would also have to be included along with other salary-cap fillers and other assets.

Anthony Davis Notes: Knicks, Dominos, Reactions

January 28th, 2019 at 2:19pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Anthony Davis wants to be traded to a championship-contending team and the Lakers with LeBron James stand out as the likeliest option given that both Davis and James are represented by agent Rich Paul. The Knicks don’t qualify as a contender but they have the lure of New York City and will always be included in any conversation of a star player switching teams.

Kevin Pelton (in a collaborate piece among ESPN scribes) believes the Knicks should offer Kristaps Porzingis in exchange for Davis. Porzingis will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season and Pelton cites the Latvian’s health and projected lucrative deal as reasons he’d consider making the swap.

Here’s more news and reactions stemming from Davis’ trade request:

There’s chatter within NBA circles that Davis wouldn’t hate playing in New York, Royce Young of ESPN.com writes (same piece). Young adds that landing Davis would make the Knicks a much more attractive option this summer for top free agents, such as Kevin Durant.
Can we find another connection between Davis and the Knicks? Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News relays (Twitter feed) that Davis’ longtime trainer, Marcell Scott, lives in New York and works with Knicks rookie Mitchell Robinson.
The Pelicans should focus on landing multiple picks in the 2022 draft, which could be the first draft where the one-and-done rule is no longer in effect, Michael Grange of Rogers Sportsnet contends (Twitter links). The scribe adds that the team should also look for draft picks in exchange for their other veterans, such as Jrue Holiday and Nikola Mirotic.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) wonders if the Timberwolves will attempt to get involved in trade talks with the Pelicans if the New Orleans goes into fire sale mode. Minnesota had extensive talks with the franchise while it was shopping around for the best Jimmy Butler deal.
The whole league is caught up in the buzz surrounding Davis’ trade request and Durant, who infamously left Oklahoma City to join a better situation in Golden State, believes Davis shouldn’t be ridiculed for letting his preference known. “Its AD wanting to play basketball somewhere,” Durant tells Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). “It’s not like the president shutting down the government. It’s basketball…We all, as players, we want guys to do exactly what they want to do in this league. They have a short amount of time,”

Pelicans Have Been Preparing For Anthony Davis’ Trade Request

January 28th, 2019 at 12:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The timing of Anthony Davis‘ trade request caught the Pelicans off-guard, but the franchise has been preparing for the moment since Davis signed with agent Rich Paul, Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated relays (Twitter links).

Despite the planning, it’s no guarantee that New Orleans trades Davis before the deadline. The front office is well aware of the Celtics’ stockpile of assets and it hopes that Boston will call to discuss the framework of a potential deal once the team is free from Kyrie Irving‘s current deal come July.

The Pelicans hope to compare Boston’s potential offer with the offers from rival suitors. Davis has not given the Pelicans a specific list of teams that he wants to be traded to, Paul tells FS1’s Chris Broussard (Twitter link). However, the timing of the request is curious considering the Celtics can’t make a deal until the summer.

Western Notes: Holiday, Grizzlies, Kings

January 28th, 2019 at 10:05am CST by ChrisCrouse

Anthony Davis has requested a trade and it could have a domino effect on the rest of the Pelicans‘ roster. Jrue Holiday, who is gaining All-Star consideration this year, could be viewed as an attractive trade asset, Bobby Marks of ESPN.com writes.

Holiday, who signed a five-year deal with New Orleans in 2017, is making approximately $26MM this season and will take home the same amount over the next two campaigns. His deal contains a player option worth slightly under $26.9MM for the 2021/22 season.

Marks examines some other potential sellers at the trade deadline. Here are the highlights from the teams in the Western Conference:

The Grizzlies are open for business when it comes to trading Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. Conley has the most on-court value, Marks notes. Conley’s deal runs through the 2021/22 season and he’ll take home approximately $34.5MM in the final year of the deal. The point guard will turn 33 prior to that season and his age and length of the deal present risks for rival suitors.
Marks expects Garrett Temple, JaMychal Green and Justin Holiday to garner interest from teams in contention for the playoffs. It was previously reported that teams were calling Memphis about Green and Temple. Holiday, whom the Grizzlies recently traded for, can not be dealt in combination with any other player.
The Kings are outside the playoff picture and have little incentive to tank considering their first-rounder will go to either Philadelphia or Boston, Marks notes. The team possesses roughly $11MM in cap space, though it doesn’t have to utilize it by the trade deadline. The ability to use the cap space will expire on June 30, so Sacramento could make a deal closer to the NBA draft.