LOS ANGELES The New Orleans Pelicans are open to trading five-time All-Star Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers but itll come at a hefty price.
According to sources unauthorized to speak publicly on the deal, a Lakers offer for the 6-foot-10 Davis would have to start with Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Ivica Zubac and a first-round draft pick. Davis who is averaging career highs of 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.4 assist a game requested a trade from the Pelicans last week.
Anthony has nothing but respect for the organization that hes currently with and will be with until they decide that they want to honor the request that weve made, his agent Rich Paul told the Los Angeles Times. So at the end of the day I think its about whats best for both Anthony and the organization going forward. This gives direction. Everyone has a clear understanding, and we go from there.
ESPN first reported Davis trade request. The Pelicans later confirmed the trade request in a statement released Monday afternoon.
The Lakers have been hesitant to trade any of their young players in recent years. Brandon Ingram and Ball were in the conversation in a possible trade for Paul George. The team had no plans to trade Kuzma in a potential deal that involved Kawhi Leonard last summer.
In recent weeks, the Lakers have been adamant internally that they would not trade Ball. Its unclear if that stance has changed now that Davis may be available. The Lakers planned to meet Monday morning to discuss their options.
According to sources, Paul has not given the Pelicans a list of preferred destinations for Davis, but he will inform interested teams whether Davis would sign an extension with them if they were to trade for him.
One team that wont be able to trade for Davis before Feb. 7s trade deadline is Boston.
The collective bargaining agreement forbids teams from having two players on their roster whom they traded for while those players were playing on a contract signed through the designated rookie exception. That designation allows a player to take up $30 million of a salary cap, and two summers ago, the Celtics traded for Kyrie Irving, who was given that designation while he played in Cleveland. Based on the rule, Boston would either have to trade Irving for Davis or wait until after July 1 to give Irving a new deal and then trade for Davis.
Davis makes $25.43 million this season, $27.09 million next season and $28.75 million in the 2020-21 season. Because the Lakers young players are all on much thriftier rookie contracts, the money would only match up if the Lakers added another big salary to the deal.
Incidentally, Paul, who represents LeBron James as well, also represents Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, whom the Lakers signed to a one-year deal worth $12 million. According to sources unauthorized to speak publicly, Paul has been searching for a trade partner for the Lakers to move Caldwell-Pope in search of a better role for the 25-year-old guard. But Caldwell-Pope would have veto power over any trade, and its unlikely he would approve a trade to New Orleans.
The Pelicans big man has long been a Lakers target. He came in third in MVP voting last season, after James Harden and James, and was considered a front-runner for this years award. Davis is currently sidelined with a fractured finger.
New Orleans had previously indicated no interest in trading Davis. On Dec. 21, before the two teams played in Los Angeles, Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry declared that the Pelicans would not trade Davis under any circumstances.
