When he demanded a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans, Anthony Davis made it clear to interested NBA teams that he will only sign with the Los Angeles Lakers when he becomes an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020. However, Pelicans General Manager Dell Demps doesn’t seem to like the idea of letting Davis pair with the best basketball player on the planet, LeBron James, in Los Angeles.
Lakers President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson remains in a serious trade discussion with the Pelicans, but with the deal yet to become official, Anthony Davis’ camp decided to extend their list of NBA teams where he is willing to stay long-term. Aside from the Lakers, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN revealed that the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Milwaukee Bucks are added to the list of Davis’ trade destination.
Of all the additional three NBA teams, the Bucks are the most intriguing trade destination for Anthony Davis, especially if they could acquire him without giving up the face of the franchise, Giannis Antetokounmpo. In any potential deal involving Davis, the Pelicans are reportedly seeking at least one young player with an All-NBA potential, future draft picks, and salary cap relief.
The Bucks currently have limited trade assets that may look attractive to the Pelicans, but according to Fansided’s Behind The Buck Pass , Milwaukee’s offer for Anthony Davis should start with first time NBA All-Star Khris Middleton.
“In other words, recently minted All-Star Khris Middleton would be a must in any serious offer, and any deal that didn’t also include Eric Bledsoe or Malcolm Brogdonwouldn’t look all that substantial either. Considering the cap relief element of the Pelicans’ wish list, Bledsoe’s larger salary being included would open up a wider range of options for Milwaukee. As a former All-Star on a very friendly contract, Brook Lopez could also make for an appealing addition if the Bucks were to include him.”
Anthony Davis open to Knicks — and not Celtics — with trade list https://t.co/flPMaFcz6j pic.twitter.com/f7fpnRKKmm
— New York Post (@nypost) February 4, 2019
In terms of young players, Fansided’s Behind The Bucks Pass suggested that the Bucks could include at least one of Thon Maker, Sterling Brown, D.J. Wilson, and Donte DiVincenzo. Trading for Anthony Davis will empty Milwaukee’s treasure chest, but it will definitely be worth it if it will help them fully dominate the Eastern Conference and dethrone the reigning NBA champions, Golden State Warriors.
Anthony Davis will undeniably improve the Bucks’ performance on both ends of the floor, giving them a very reliable scoring option next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. This season, the 25-year-old center/power forward is averaging 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.6 blocks, and 1.7 steals on 50.8 percent shooting from the field and 32.5 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
