Celtics, Knicks Given Hope, Anthony Davis Not Convinced By Griffin Arrival: Report

When the New Orleans Pelicans appointed David Griffin as the new general manager following the departure of Dell Demps, the first order of business was to try and convince Anthony Davis to commit his long-term future to the team. But latest reports are suggesting that the power forward will not change his mind about wanting to leave later in the summer.

Davis put in a trade request through his agent in January this year claiming he wants to join a team that will help him challenge for championships on a regular basis. There was a scramble from teams eager to sign him, mainly, the Los Angeles Lakers, who made multiple offers before the trade deadline on Feb. 7.

The Pelicans rejected all their approaches and opted to retain the forward until the end of the season before making a decision on his future. Davis still has one more year on his contract before he can become a free agent and Griffin was hoping to convince the player and his agent Rich Paul, with whom the general manager has a good relationship, to stay and potentially sign the max contract which Davis will be eligible for from the Pelicans this summer.

However, according to Fletcher Mackel of NBC New Orleans, the arrival of Griffin has not changed Davis’ mind and he still wants out of the team in the summer. He referenced a source within the NBA, who told him that despite the good relationship between the new general manager and Paul, there is unlikely to be a sudden change of heart.

There is going to be a number of teams interested in signing Davis, who is among the top five players in the NBA at the moment but the final decision will be in the hands of the Pelicans, who will accept the deal that suits them best in terms of filling the void left by the forward with young talent or potential future draft picks.

The Lakers are certain to return again in the summer in the hope of convincing Pelicans to accept their offer, which in February, included five players and future draft picks. The New York Knicks are also in the running and have indicated that they would be willing to trade the No.1 pick if they win the Draft Lottery to land Davis.

The Boston Celtics, however, are being touted as the favorites to land Davis as they have the best trade package available in the league. They have the best roster in terms of young talent, while they are also in possession of a number of draft picks for the 2019 NBA draft.