NBA Trade Rumors: Celtics Could Pursue DeMarcus Cousins If Team Can’t Get Anthony Davis
Recent rumors have emerged that the Boston Celtics could pursue DeMarcus Cousins if the New Orleans Pelicans will decide to hang onto his teammate, Anthony Davis.
Davis, a four-time NBA All-Star, has been the subject of the latest trade speculations around the league and the Celtics are reportedly the No. 1 team targeting the 24-year-old at the moment.
A previous Inquisitr report said that Boston could offer Al Horford, Jayson Tatum, and a first-rounder to New Orleans for Davis. However, it is highly likely that the Pelicans will keep the reigning All-Star Game MVP.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski noted that this is not the first time NBA clubs are trying to steal Davis away from the Pelicans. Wojnarowski added that the player himself admitted how several teams called Pelicans GM Dell Demps in the weeks before the 2016-2017 trade deadline, but all offers were rejected.
It is expected that the franchise will do the same to all Davis suitors this year.
The Anthony Davis trade rumors escalated after the player compared the Pelicans to other NBA squads, such as the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Celtics, as being “well-run, well-balanced” organizations during a recent ESPN interview.
Davis said that he longs for something like that, although he clarified that he “loves New Orleans” and is not planning to jump to a major market anytime soon.
With all the trade rumors surrounding him, Davis also said that he is not worried at all as the club assured him that he will stay. Still, Davis did not completely close the possibility of him getting traded.
“He (GM Demps) told me that (Boston) was calling, but nothing was going to happen. At the same time, though, you see how organizations treat players. Isaiah Thomas. DeMarcus (Cousins) told me that the (Kings) told him that he wasn’t going to get traded, but they traded him. Isaiah took his team to the Eastern Conference finals, and they traded him.”
Meanwhile, CBS Sports‘ Colin Ward-Henninger suggested that the Celtics could eventually shift their focus on Davis’ teammate, Cousins, if the Pelicans would not waver in keeping the two-time NBA shot blocks leader.
Ward-Henninger said that should New Orleans feel Cousins is not planning to stay with the squad in free agency, the Pelicans might approve to move him to Boston rather than Davis.
The report mentioned that the Celtics could offer a trade package including Jaylen Brown, Marcus Morris, Aron Baynes, and a 2019 draft pick (via Memphis) for Cousins. Pairing the young and athletic Brown to Davis could be something that is too good to pass up for the Pelicans.
