Leading up to the 2019 NBA Draft, all of the attention is on Anthony Davis’ future with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Unlike the 2018-19 NBA trade deadline, there appears to be cooperation between the Los Angeles Lakers and Pelicans with president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Dell Demps no longer around now.
For executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin, he has provided interested teams information on what it will ultimately take to trade for the 26-year-old.
Since the trade request, there have been questions about if Klutch Sports agent Rich Paul has Davis’ best interests which he addressed, via S.L. Price of Sports Illustrated:
“My thing is: Take LeBron off the Lakers. Are the Lakers not a great destination for an arguably top-two player that went to Kentucky and won a national championship, signed with Nike? For a team that’s had centers from George Mikan to Wilt Chamberlain to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Shaq?”
For Paul, he is ‘trying to help’ Davis play for the Lakers regardless of LeBron James, according to Price:
“So now, when you add LeBron, that’s what? The cherry on top. LeBron’s 34 years old. Anthony Davis is 26. So when LeBron’s done playing, the Anthony Davis trade is still rolling. What better place to do it than L.A.? If it was L.A.—I never said ‘L.A.’ But there’s no negative to that. Who gives a s— what you’re talking about, about me trying to help LeBron out? No, I’m not. I’m trying to help Anthony Davis. Now, if helping Anthony Davis helps LeBron in the long run? So be it. But my goal is Anthony Davis.”
While there are heated debates, Davis changed agents prior to the 2018-19 NBA season to take control of his career. Although it is easy to connect all of this to James, the 26-year-old did not hire Paul to dictate his future for him.
As Davis has his sights on Los Angeles, the Lakers are attempting to trade for him before June 20. They reportedly have made Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and the No. 4 pick available in trade discussions with the Pelicans.
With the Pelicans trying to land an All-Star player with the No. 4 pick, it appears there is progress between both sides.
