As if the New Orleans Pelicans’ season could not get any worse. The team currently sits at 13th in the Western Conference with a 22-28 record while currently on a three-game losing streak. Many of the key contributors have been in and out of the lineup and the chances of the Pelicans returning to the playoffs have dwindled. After a 4-0 start to the season, it was felt this roster was prepared to take the next step after reaching the second round of the playoffs last season. Unfortunately, that has not been the case.

Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that Anthony Davis does not intend to sign a super-max contract with the Pelicans and prefers being traded. Davis’ agent Rich Paul informed the organization of his intentions, stating that “Anthony wants to be traded to a team that allows him the chance to win consistently and compete for a championship.” He is currently in the third year of a five-year, $127 million contract.

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.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 28, 2019

Report: Anthony Davis Requests Trade From New Orleans Pelicans

Davis is one of the best players in the association. His talent at the power forward position is otherworldly and he is only 25 years old. There has not been much success during his time in New Orleans, though. The Pelicans have only reached the postseason twice and those were the only winning seasons. It now seems Davis’ days in a Pelicans uniform are numbered. What could have been a promising season with players like Davis, Julius Randle, Jrue Holiday and Nikola Mirotic has been derailed by injuries.

It will be an interesting week and a half in the NBA. The trade deadline is February 7 and many teams will call the Pelicans looking to make their best offer to land the five-time All-Star. If every team had the assets that were intriguing enough, they would be on the phone immediately.

Possible Suitors 

There have been numerous rumors about Davis landing with the Los Angeles Lakers alongside LeBron James. That is now a real possibility with the trade request and Paul is the agent of both Davis and James. Paul could have been creating leverage for the Lakers against their longtime rival. One of the teams that are interested in Davis is the Boston Celtics. Unfortunately for the Celtics, they cannot inquire about Davis’ services until the summer. They would have to wait until Kyrie Irving opts out of his contract.

Could a surprise team swoop in and land Davis? It is going to take a plethora of young talent and draft picks to land the 2012 #1 overall pick. Davis is that talented and is worth trading the house for. While injuries have been an issue for him during his career, many have labeled Davis as a top 10 player in the association and feel he could take over the league at any moment. Sometimes a player simply needs a change of scenery and a better culture in order to fully maximize their talents.

Let the Davis sweepstakes begin. Give your best bid.