Following the reports that new New Orleans Pelicans team executive David Griffin had met with Anthony Davis and attempted to convince him to stay with the team, it appears now that the Pelicans are moving into the process of exploring trades for the star big man.
Per an ESPN story by top reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, Griffin has begun to “provide potential suitors with the framework of the package that he is seeking” in a trade for Davis. The report also said that New Orleans is open to multi-team trade scenarios for Davis.
Griffin’s asking price for Davis, sources told Wojnarowski, includes “an All-Star player, a young player with All-Star potential and two first-round picks.”
The story also said that the two New York teams – the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets- and the two Los Angeles teams – the Clippers and Lakers – have inquired with Griffin about a Davis trade.
The Wojnarowski report added that the Toronto Raptors are one win away from winning the NBA Finals, having traded for star player Kawhi Leonard with a year remaining on his contract, and this has “emboldened” some teams to make a trade for Davis. The teams are willing to offer a deal despite Davis only have one year left on his contract and knowing that Davis may not necessarily sign an extension with them.
ESPN Sources: New Orleans EVP of Basketball Operations David Griffin has started to provide Anthony Davis’ trade suitors with the framework of the package he’s seeking in a deal —- which is likely to need multiple teams to complete. Story: https://t.co/hKZcySwpsG
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 10, 2019
Davis first requested a trade at the end of January, informing the Pelicans that he would not re-sign with them when he reaches free agency in the summer of 2020. This led to weeks of trade talks ahead of the February trade deadline, including talks with the Lakers. However, Davis was ultimately not traded, and he returned to the Pelicans for the second half of the season. He did wear a “That’s All Folks” T-shirt to one game, although he claimed at the time that it was a reference to the upcoming Space Jam sequel, rather than signaling a goodbye to the Pelicans.
New Orleans’ willingness to pursue multi-team trades, per the ESPN story, means that if the Pelicans don’t value the players offered by the team that wants Davis, they can instead accept players from a third team.
It also said that the Pelicans would prefer to complete a Davis trade prior to the NBA Draft on June 20, so that 2019 draft picks could conceivably be included in a Davis deal. This year’s free agent signing period, meanwhile, begins 10 days after that, which will allow teams trading for Davis to add free agent pieces along with him.
