Agent Rich Paul has notified the New Orleans Pelicans that All-NBA forward Anthony Davis has no intention of signing a contract extension if and when presented and that he has requested a trade, Paul told ESPN on Monday.
Knowing that relationship between James and Paul, it would be easy to think that the most likely destination would be to the Lakers, as it has young assets that would be attractive to the Pelicans. If Davis indeed goes to the Lakers, there will be 3 players under Rich Paul's agency in the Lakers' team, including Caldwell Pope. But that is not a first, as JR Smith, Tristan Thompson were also under Rich Paul's stable in Cleveland. If Rich Paul throws in the Morris' twins to the Lakers, there will be a first 5 that are all under RP.
The Pelicans said in a statement that they will not let others pressure them into trading Anthony Davis. And they asked the league to enforce tampering rules in an obvious warning to the Lakers, who have been fined twice for a total of $550,000 for tampering by the league. "Relative to specific talks of a trade, we will do this on our terms and our timeline," New Orleans said in a statement. "One that makes the most sense for our team and it will not be dictated by those outside of our organization. We have also requested the League to strictly enforce the tampering rules associate with this transaction."
Boston certainly has more assets than the Lakers to facilitate a deal for Davis. - players as well as draft picks.
....although I do remember the Lakers getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar with New Orleans before - and that's how CP3 ended up with the Clippers....of course Laker fans have a different perspective on that transaction.
If LeBron gets Luke fired and Lue is then made head coach then Magic better watch out. He could be next.
Boston's predicament is that under the CBA's Rose rule, they cannot trade for a second max contract (Kyrie's was the first). But all that will change IF Davis is not traded before the Feb 6 deadline, from what I've heard. So Ainge must be praying right now that the Magic is not throwing the whole kitchen to the Pelicans for AD. I'm pretty sure that Magic knows this.
According to Richard Jefferson, if he were the Pelican's GM, he wants it all - Kuzma, Ball, Ingram, plus draft picks. Nobody will be left except for the motley crew.
And he raises an interesting point. The Pelicans can balk and say the Celtics have at least that or more to offer them and let the Feb 6 clock run out of the Lakers. There is much pressure now on Magic to do the trick, and LeBron is very much listening in, or even acting up.
"...multiple league sources expect the agent (Rich Paul) and star (Anthony Davis) to soon deliver word throughout the league that Davis' preferred destination is the Lakers and he'll become a rental player until 2020 with a trade anywhere else."
It explains why AD can only be a Celtic after July 1 as Kyrie is their designated player who is playing out his contract. If he resigns in July then AD can sign as the designate player. I gather this is the reason why they won't re-sign Kyrie before July
Pelicans forward Anthony Davis has been fined $50,000 by the NBA after his agent, Rich Paul, violated a rule prohibiting players or their representatives from making public trade demands.