Anthony Davis Considering Lakers As Option, Unfazed By Magic Johnson Exit

Anthony Davis requested a trade through his agent Rich Paul from the New Orleans Pelicans earlier in the year, but the team decided to hold on to the player until the end of the season rather than offload him midway through the campaign. The Los Angeles Lakers were desperate to sign him but all their offers were thwarted by the Pelicans.

The now-former Lakers’ president of basketball operations Magic Johnson made multiple offers for Davis, one of which included five players and multiple future draft picks. But it fell on deaf ears, which saw the NBA legend admit that the Pelicans had not negotiated in good faith.

The fiasco saw two teams suffer as the Pelicans decided to give Davis limited minutes and then fired general manager Dell Demps, while the Lakers players lost their focus on the job at hand after the trade talks and had a poor second half of the season that saw them miss the playoffs.

The Lakers are expected to make a move again in the summer for Davis but this time it will be without Johnson, who decided to resign from his post as president of basketball operations on Tuesday. One of his key reasons was the freedom he lacked to mentor other basketball players without being called up for tampering.

Davis’ agent Paul also manages LeBron James and he is keen for his client to join the Lakers, but they will have to compete with 29 other organizations for the power forward’s signature. James was stunned by Johnson’s sudden decision to quit the franchise, but Davis made it clear that it has no bearing toward him choosing Los Angeles as his potential destination.

"I have no idea what’s going on over there,” Davis said during an end-of-season interview, as quoted on the Manila Times. “What’s going on with the Lakers — I got a lot of other stuff to worry about.”

“No. They’re a great organization. Just like 29 other organizations. I have nothing to do with that,” the Pelicans power forward said when asked if his opinion of the franchise changed after Johnson’s exit.

Davis’ next destination will be decided by the Pelicans depending on the best offer they receive. There will be no shortage of suitors for the forward, but he admitted that there is a possibility that he could remain in New Orleans for one more season before he enters free agency in 2020.

The six-time NBA All-Star is now waiting for the Pelicans to appoint a new general manager following the sacking of Demps. The new general manager will play a part in deciding whether Davis leaves the franchise or stays until he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

“I’m under contract still,” Davis explained. “I have a year left. Obviously it’s a possibility it could happen. I don’t have ill will towards anybody. I know that it’s a possibility that next year I could be here as well. So I can’t be mad if I’m here next year.”

“Seeing what happens. Seeing who the Pelicans make their GM and having a conversation with that person about the future. My time here has always been great. I love playing here. It’s something that I will definitely hold in my heart forever, but the next step is waiting on the Pelicans to fill the GM job.”