Anthony Davis Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Bucks Preparing Offer For Anthony Davis?

January 29th, 2019 at 6:38pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Lakers appear to be the favorite to land Anthony Davis, though it isn’t stopping other teams from pursuing the former No. 1 overall pick. The Bucks are entering the Davis sweepstakes, according to longtime sports journalist Gery Woelfel (Twitter link).

Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only player who isn’t on the table in trade talks, Woelfel hears. Still, if the Pelicans are looking to rebuild post-AD, it’ll be difficult for Milwaukee to make a competitive offer.

The Bucks are unable to trade a first-round pick until the 2023 season at the earliest, as the Suns own their 2019 selection and the Cavs own their 2021 pick. Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton can hit free agency this summer, which decreases their trade value, and after Milwaukee’s big three, there isn’t much on the roster to get overly excited about as a player headlining a trade package (apologies to President Malcolm Brogdon).

Milwaukee would provide Davis with a chance to win, as the team sits atop the Eastern Conference standings. The Giannis-AD pairing would certainly be among the most exciting in the league, though it feels like a pipe dream for all the Wisconsin hopefuls.

NBA Fines Anthony Davis $50,000

January 29th, 2019 at 4:55pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The NBA has fined Anthony Davis $50K for violating the CBA. It’s illegal under the agreement for players or their representatives to make public trade demands and that’s exactly what Anthony’s agent, Rich Paul, did on Monday by speaking with Adrian Wojnarowski and other media members.

“The fine is for statements that were made by Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, in an intentional effort to undermine the contractual relationship between Davis and the Pelicans,” the NBA explained in its statement.

The Pelicans were recently told by Davis and his reps that the 25-year-old would not be re-signing with New Orleans once his current deal expires and that he would prefer to be traded. The team’s front office responded in a statement on Monday, declaring that the Pelicans will make the deal on their “terms” and “timeline.”

The $50K penalty is the most that the league can fine a player without giving him the ability to file a grievance, Bobby Marks of ESPN.com tweets. Davis is making approximately $25.4MM this season and the fine represents less than 0.2% of his salary. For context, if someone made a $50K salary, that would be equivalent to about $98.

Latest On Anthony Davis

January 29th, 2019 at 12:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans are in a difficult position after the trade request from Anthony Davis, but they still have the power to control when the deal will get done, writes Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. There are three important dates to consider — the trade deadline on February 7, the draft lottery on May 14 and the start of free agency on July 1 — and New Orleans must determine the best time to move its star.

Woo states that trying to rush a deal by next week only works in favor of the Lakers, along with Davis and his agent, Rich Paul. L.A.’s best offer should still be on the table this summer, and waiting will give the Celtics a chance to become involved. Even if the Pelicans don’t plan to send Davis to Boston, they may be able to gain leverage by using that offer to get more from the Lakers.

The best options may come after the lottery, Woo writes. If the Mavericks, Wizards or another team with established talent lands the top pick, it could be motivated to offer that to New Orleans as part of a package for Davis.

It’s crucial to management, and especially GM Dell Demps, to get maximum value for Davis, Woo adds. Demps’ job was in jeopardy before last year’s playoff run, and the two-year extension he received may not prevent ownership from making a change this summer.

There’s more news to pass along regarding Davis:

The Pelicans’ best 0ffer will come from the Celtics, contends David Aldridge of The Athletic. He states that a deal would have to start with Jayson Tatum, who could become a cornerstone player in New Orleans. The Pelicans might also ask for Jaylen Brown, but Aldridge believes the Celtics would prefer to keep one of their young talents and could offer Marcus Smart instead. Boston also has a wealth of draft picks, including a Grizzlies first-rounder that is top-eight protected this year, top six next year and unprotected in 2021, along with the better pick from the Sixers or Kings this year and possibly another first-rounder from the Clippers.
The Pelicans may consider shutting Davis down for the season if he’s not traded before next Thursday, suggests Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Davis is sidelined with a volar plate avulsion fracture on his left index finger and is being re-evaluated every 48 to 72 hours. If surgery is necessary, it would be a way for the Pelicans to avoid any risk and be sure that they have a fully healthy asset for the trade market this summer.
A team source confirms to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) that the Knicks plan to get involved in the bidding for Davis. Their best offer is expected to come after the lottery when they know where they’ll be drafting.
If the Lakers aren’t able to deal for Davis before the deadline, they will only have seven tradable contracts this summer outside of LeBron James, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (insider account). L.A. would have to use some of its projected $36MM in cap space to make the deal work and could include some of its free agents in a sign-and-trade arrangement, but only if they agree to go to New Orleans. Marks examines what several teams can realistically offer, including the Nuggets, whom he calls a “dark horse” in the Davis sweepstakes. Denver has a slew of young players and controllable contracts, along with a connection in GM Tim Connelly, who formerly worked for Demps in New Orleans.
Writers from The Athletic break down the chances of acquiring Davis for every team in the league.

Woj: Davis May Only Sign Extension With Lakers

January 29th, 2019 at 10:18am CST by Arthur Hill

League sources expect Anthony Davis and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, to inform the rest of the league that he only plans to sign an extension with the Lakers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

That means Davis would be just a short-term rental for anyone else who tries to acquire him. He has a $28.75MM player option for the 2020/21 season and can become a free agent next summer.

The Pelicans won’t rush into a deal, Wojnarowski adds, writing that it will take an “overwhelming” offer to get Davis out of New Orleans before the February 7 trade deadline. The Lakers plan to try to reach that standard, with trade talks between the two teams expected to begin soon. L.A. is in position to offer a max contract in free agency this summer, but sources say the team would give that up to acquire Davis. The Lakers are willing to part with draft picks and some combination of young players Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and Lonzo Ball in their trade proposal.

The Celtics, who have been collecting assets in hopes of making a deal for a star, are reportedly among the teams willing to take the risk of trading for Davis without a guarantee of a long-term arrangement. Sources tell Wojnarowski that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has been calling the Pelicans for more than a year to let them know of his interest in Davis. There is also a tight bond between Davis and Kyrie Irving, who would be virtually assured of re-signing in Boston if Davis becomes part of the team.

Although he doesn’t identify them, Wojnarowski adds that several other teams are considering a deal for Davis, even if it’s only for the rest of the season. They could use him to make a run at the title, then flip him for other assets this summer.

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.