NBA trade rumors continue to swirl around New Orleans Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis. Though the Pelicans aren’t expected to move him before the February 8 trade deadline, an NBA analyst believes Davis will be traded this offseason with the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, and the Chicago Bulls as potential trade destinations.
The formidable frontcourt duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins is expected to help the Pelicans return to the Western Conference Playoffs this season. Both superstars have been dropping huge numbers every night and establishing an impressive performance on both ends of the floor. Unfortunately, Pelicans fans won’t be seeing them play together again for a long period of time after Cousins suffered a season-ending injury.
Cousins’ absence will undeniably affect the Pelicans’ chance of contending for the title this season and even earning a playoff spot in the deep Western Conference. As most people think, this could be the last season of Dell Demps as a general manager if the Pelicans fall out once again off the playoff picture. According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News , a new front office may consider a complete rebuild in New Orleans which could possibly include an Anthony Davis trade in the offseason.
“A.D. is obviously a great player, but they’re stuck and his free agency is coming faster than you think,” one GM told Sporting News . “It is hard to operate under the gun with a situation like that, so it is something they’ll need to at least explore this summer. If Dell stays on, he is going to want to find ways to keep building and maybe even take a chance on keeping DeMarcus. But if Dell goes, there are four or five teams hoping hard for a fire sale.”
As Deveney noted, four NBA teams are expected to be extremely aggressive once Anthony Davis becomes available on the trade market this offseason. These include the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, and the Chicago Bulls. After the Kyrie Irving trade, the Celtics still have enough trade assets to make another blockbuster trade, while a previous Inquisitr report suggested that the Warriors might be willing to break their core just to add Davis on their team.
As of now, it’s hard to imagine the Pelicans trading their best player. Anthony Davis is just 24 and already a proven superstar in the league. In 43 games this season, he’s averaging 26.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks on 55.1 percent shooting from the field and 33.3 percent from beyond the arc. However, the Blake Griffin trade proves that even superstars who are labeled as untouchables (or a “Clipper for life” in Griffin’s case) are no longer safe, especially when the team is struggling or when the opposing team’s offer is too good to pass.
