NBA news: Lakers alerted as insider reveals Anthony Davis WILL make Pelicans trade request
THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS have been put on alert with it claimed that Anthony Davis will ask to be traded from the New Orleans Pelicans this coming summer.
NBA: Anthony Davis WILL move to LA Lakers says pundit
That’s the verdict of ESPN’s NBA insider Stephen A. Smith.
Davis’ future is uncertain with the towering forward only eligible for free agency after the 2019-20 season but in a position to force the Pelicans to trade him if he makes it clear he is unhappy with the franchise.
New Orleans can offer Davis a five-year supermax contract worth $235million - far more than he can earn elsewhere - to tempt him to stay.
But the 25-year-old is keen to join a winning team and one that is capable of competing for championships, the Pelican s currently way down in 12th in the Western Conference with a 15-16 record.
The Lakers and the Boston Celtics are the two teams who have been touted with blockbuster trade deals for Davis because of the assets they can offer the Pelicans in return for the five-time All-Star.
The Celtics are arguably in a more commanding position due to the fact more of their young talents are more valuable players in the short term.
ESPN oracle Adrian Wojnaowski revealed that Boston have been “hawking” Davis for some years due to his once-in-a-generation mix of all-rounded abilities.
And Smith believes Davis will demand a way out of New Orleans in the summer of 2019 to spark a trade frenzy between at least the Lakers and the Celtics.
Anthony Davis wants out of New Orleans
He told First Take on ESPN: “Rich Paul would love for the Lakers to go all in and all out for Anthony Davis, he is now his representative and he’s the guy that represents LeBron James.
“Anthony Davis wants out of New Orleans. He’s not going to say that publicly, as of yet.
“From what I’m being told, he’s expected to officially ask out of New Orleans come this summer.
“Get through this season and then look in the last year of his deal to get up out of there.
“New Orleans has been on record saying they aren’t moving them at all.
“But a lot of people in the league believe when a star tells you he wants out, you really, really don’t have a choice.
“His contractual situation, he’s signed through this season and next season, not eligible for free agency with the player option until the summer of 2020.”
If Davis were to signal his intent to leave next summer, New Orleans would be likely to be reluctantly forced into a deal so as to avoid losing him for nothing the following year.