With the Los Angeles Lakers looking to make a push in their first year with LeBron James leading the roster, they engaged the New Orleans Pelicans in trade talks for Anthony Davis upon the All-Star big man making his desires clear.
Although Davis’ representatives would eventually provide a list of teams he is open to joining, the sentiment held the Lakers were the preferred destination. So much so that Davis was conveying a trade to any other team would be treated as a one-year stop.
While the Lakers’ five initial proposals for Davis were said to have been underwhelming in the eyes of the Pelicans, they revised those and submitted a much more aggressive offer. However, the Pelicans again sought more — particularly draft compensation.
According to Brad Turner of the L.A. Times, it’s led to the Lakers withdrawing from talks with New Orleans:
The Lakers have “pulled out” of any more conversations in trying to acquire New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis because of the Pelican’s “outrageous” trade requests, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.
“They wanted more and more and more,” said one person. “There was no more to give. They had cap-relief with Hill being in the deal. But the more they wanted the more it because outrageous and unrealistic.”
There remains a possibility of trade negotiations reversing course by the 12 p.m. PT deadline on Thursday, but reports had already begun to suggest the Lakers were growing pessimistic of completing a deal.
Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge reportedly has implored Pelicans GM Dell Demps to hold off on trading Davis until the offseason, when the Celtics could enter the picture with an aggressive trade offer.
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