Davis staying with Pelicans through trade deadline
New Orleans Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis won't be moved before the NBA trade deadline, his agent Rich Paul told The Athletic's Joe Vardon on Thursday afternoon.
The Pelicans were reportedly seeking four first-round picks from the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis in addition to a pair of second-rounders. The Lakers reportedly offered a package of Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Lance Stephenson, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley, and two first-rounders in hopes of landing him.
Davis staying in New Orleans means the Boston Celtics can engage in trade talks with the Pelicans this summer. Boston reportedly wasn't on Davis' four-team list of franchises that he'd sign a long-term deal with, but that hasn't deterred Celtics general manager Danny Ainge from pursuing the six-time All-Star.
Ainge reportedly urged Pelicans general manager Dell Demps to wait until the offseason to trade Davis, when Boston could submit a more substantial offer.
The Celtics could package young assets Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown with a collection of picks, including up to four first-rounders in this June's draft.
However, Davis' father said he doesn't want his son to join the Celtics after they showed "no loyalty" by trading away Isaiah Thomas in 2017.
Regardless of where Davis ends up, he apparently doesn't plan to sign an extension this summer. Instead, he intends to ink a new deal in the 2020 offseason once he opts out of his current contract and becomes an unrestricted free agent, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
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