Lakers Trade Rumors: Anthony Davis No Longer Part Of Team's Plans? LA May Consider Plan B

After weeks of drama, it looks like Anthony Davis will not end up in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform before this Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. The Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday that the Lakers had pulled out of trade talks with the New Orleans Pelicans for the time being because of the Pelicans’ lofty demands.

New Orleans reportedly wanted six to eight draft picks from the Lakers, including four first-round picks. The Lakers apparently made an offer on Monday night that included their entire young core of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and Ivica Zubac, as well as two first-round picks.

Still, the Pelicans did not accept and the Lakers appear to be out of the running for Davis at the moment.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said in the aftermath of the Times report that the Lakers would be “glad to engage” with the Pelicans again.

While the Lakers’ desire for Davis is well-known, it may have never been realistic for them to acquire him before Thursday’s deadline. Davis is not a free agent until summer 2020, so the Pelicans can wait until this season ends to engage in serious trade talks with more teams rather than jumping the gun early.

The most likely suitor aside from the Lakers appears to be the Boston Celtics. They have more assets to give up in terms of draft capital and young talent like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The only problem is a quirk in Kyrie Irving’s contract means they cannot trade for Davis until Irving is either gone or on a restructured deal after July 1.

If the L.A. Times report is accurate, the Pelicans will likely wait until then to get a full range of offers from every possible suitor. The Lakers are "adamant" that they do not want to engage in a bidding war with the Celtics for Davis, per the Times.

If the Lakers do not trade for Davis, they could still make other moves before the deadline and after the season. The team has reportedly talked to the Chicago Bulls about acquiring former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope reportedly could be included in a trade for Parker.

Another former No. 2 overall pick, point guard Lonzo Ball, could also be on the block for LA. His name came up often enough in Anthony Davis trade talks that his father, LaVar Ball, said he wants Lonzo to play for the Phoenix Suns instead.

The Lakers could also make a play for Kawhi Leonard, though it appears unlikely that a trade could come to fruition in the coming days. The Toronto Raptors star is a free agent this summer and is a Los Angeles native. The L.A. Clippers are expected to make an aggressive push at Leonard.