NBA Trade Rumors: Cavs Want To Bring Anthony Davis To Cleveland, But Is It Possible?
In an effort to revamp the roster, the Cleveland Cavaliers continue to hunt a strong, big man to strengthen their front court. After a successful blockbuster trade with the Celtics to bring Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Ante Zizic to Quicken Loans Arena, general manager Koby Altman and head coach Tyronn Lue are looking for a possible trade with New Orleans Pelicans for Anthony Davis.
The Pelicans are also rumored to be interested in Cavaliers shooting guard Iman Shumpert and forward Kevin Love, and they are willing to send their six-foot-11 center to Cleveland. Furthermore, the duo between Davis and DeMarcus Cousins was not as lethal as expected. Both Davis and Cousins only played 17 games together last season, as they are still adjusting their teamwork.
However, New Orleans Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry implicitly rejected the rumor. In an interview with Culotta and T-Bob during the Off the Bench radio talk show on the ESPN 104.5FM on Thursday, coach Gentry revealed his game plan regarding Davis and Cousins in the next season.
Coach Gentry unveiled that he will shift Jrue Holiday to the shooting guard position and play Rajon Rondo as the main point guard. In the front court, Davis and Cousins will team up to attack the rim and counter the opponents’ small ball play. The Pelicans will use the twin towers to exploit the advantage in size with the teams playing small ball, which has become the league’s favorite.
“You’ve got to try and counter what they do and obviously we’ve got two big guys that we can demand that they guard on the block.”
However, the Cleveland Cavaliers currently have the ace card in their hand, as they hold the rights for the 2018 Brooklyn Nets first-round pick. The Cavs may use the card to persuade the New Orleans Pelicans to give away the 24-year-old forward. Moreover, Cavaliers recently encountered an unexpected situation after Thomas injured his hips and GM Altman has mentioned the unfortunate situation during the introduction of the three players on Thursday.
The summer blockbuster trade between the Cavs, Celtics, and Nets to send Irving to Boston for Thomas, Crowder, and Zizic showed a great negotiation skill from the Cavaliers’ management. However, the nature of the trade is a very risky one, as Thomas has a different style from “Uncle Drew” Irving. He needs a big man as his tandem, and unfortunately, Cavaliers do not have one in the roster. For that reason, the Cavs try to bring Davis, and according to analysis from Stephen Smith, there is a possibility for Davis to land in Cleveland.
[Featured Image by David Zalubowski/AP Images]
