Lakers Rumors: Anthony Davis Trade Unlikely Before 2019 Deadline With Knicks, Celtics Lurking

Anthony Davis might be trying to force his way onto the Los Angeles Lakers, but the chances of that happening before the 2019 NBA trade deadline might not be so high. According to the latest reports, the New Orleans Pelicans are unlikely to send their best player to L.A. within the next week.

Shortly after Davis’ agent Rich Paul made it known that Davis wouldn’t sign a contract extension in the offseason and wanted to be traded, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Pelicans would have to be overwhelmed with an offer in order to deal the 25-year-old before the Feb. 7 deadline. Wojnarowski said on “NBA Countdown” Wednesday night that New Orleans has no interest in completing a deal with Los Angeles right now.

The Lakers are expected to offer just about everything short of LeBron James to the Pelicans. That means a package that could include Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma, in addition to multiple future first-round draft picks.

The exact value of the Lakers’ assets has been debated across the league. Ingram was projected to be a future All-Star when he was drafted second overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, but he still remains an average player in his third season, though he has performed very well in recent games. Ball hasn’t been able to stay healthy and still can’t really shoot. Kuzma is proving to be a very good scorer, but there are questions about how high his ceiling might be.

Even if the Pelicans would be tempted by such an offer, the same offer is expected to be on the table this summer. Los Angeles is desperate to pair another superstar with James, and there’s no guarantee that the Lakers will land a max free agent.

Teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors are reportedly in on the Anthony Davis Sweepstakes. They might drop out if the Pelicans hold onto Davis until the summer. The Boston Celtics probably have the most to offer, and they can’t get in on the bidding until July when Kyrie Irving can sign a new contract.

The lure of Zion Williamson or another high draft pick could also prevent the Pelicans from trading Davis to the Lakers during the season. The New York Knicks are expected to pursue the NBA’s best big man, and they’ve got as good of a chance as anyone to land the top pick in June’s draft. The lottery won’t determine the draft order until May.

Maybe the Pelicans will ultimately decide that they don’t want the drama surrounding Davis to drag out until the summer. There’s already talk of the team sitting him for the rest of the year, and the idea that Davis will only sign with the Lakers as a free agent in 2020 could force teams to pull back potential trade offers.

Davis could certainly end up in Los Angeles, but the Lakers might have to wait a few more months before the Pelicans decide to trade the NBA’s best big man.