Anthony Davis of the New Orleans Pelicans
It has been no secret that Anthony Davis is unhappy with his current situation in New Orleans. He has formally requested a trade, and there were talks of getting one done before the deadline. This, however, did not happen and he has decided to play out the remainder of the season for New Orleans. At the end of the season, however, he will be wanting a new team. Trade talks will resume once the season comes to a close and there will be plenty of teams looking to get their hands on him. What team will he be traded to though? Let’s break down the options below:
Los Angeles Lakers:
This seems to be the obvious place for Davis to be traded to. Both sides have already expressed interest in getting a deal done. The Lakers also have plenty of young talented players that they can use as trade assets. LeBron James and Anthony Davis have also shown interest in teaming up and becoming a dominant force together. The pro to this trade would be having 2 of the best players in the NBA team up together. Whenever that happens the team usually has at least some success. The major con to this trade, however, would be what the Lakers would have to give up to make this trade happen. They’re a team with a lot of young talent and would be required to give up a substantial amount of that talent just to get a trade done.
Boston Celtics
This trade is one that makes a lot of sense, but at the same time is the most unlikely to happen. The Celtics are a team loaded with assets throughout their entire roster. They would be able to give up a lot and still have plenty left to be a championship contending team. On paper, this seems like the perfect trade for both sides, however, Davis has already stated that he does not want to play in Boston. For starters, he is unsure if Kyrie Irving will still be there next season and that would deter his championship hopes. Obviously, things could easily change regarding his feelings towards Boston between now and the offseason. At this point though, this appears to be one of the less likely landing spots for Davis this offseason.
New York Knicks
A lot of things would need to happen here in order for this to be a real possibility. A trade to the Knicks would likely only happen after the early stages of free agency and the draft. Davis will have no interest in playing in New York if there is not a good team around him. The only way a trade would happen is if they build a talented team in the offseason and still have enough to trade for the Pelicans to say yes. With pending free agents, like Kevin Durant, Kemba Walker, and Kyrie Irving out there this trade is possible even though it is a long shot.
LA Clippers
This final trade possibility is due more to cap space and location than anything. Davis has expressed interest in playing for an LA team and the Clippers have plenty of cap space for his contract. If the Clippers did trade for Davis they would also have enough room to sign another max contract. Davis has already stated that they are a team he would sign a long term extension with. The problem here is that the Clippers might not have enough to offer to entice the Pelicans. This is definitely an under the radar destination that has become a real possibility.
Final Decision
Nobody really knows where Davis will end up next season. Everyone assumes the Lakers will be the team he ends up on, but that isn’t a given. A trade to Boston would be my personal favorite, but I believe a trade to either of the LA teams is most likely. Other teams will likely throw their hat in the ring and get involved as well. No matter where he gets traded it will definitely be one of the most interesting storylines to follow this offseason.
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