Lakers Trade Rumors: Status Of Anthony Davis And More Ahead Of Deadline

All seems to be quiet on the Anthony Davis front. The superstar forward announced last week that he wanted to be traded, yet talks might be stalling between the New Orleans Pelicans and his most likely destination, the Los Angeles Lakers.

ESPN's NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski described the Lakers' pursuit of Davis as "fraught with obstacles," with the Pelicans not ready to bend over backward to accommodate the Lakers.

There might be two reasons that the Pelicans and Lakers haven't completed a deal and won't, in fact, make one before Thursday's trade deadline.

First, the Pelicans may not like what the Lakers are offering, despite the volume of assets they can get in return. While some combination of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Ivica Zubac and draft picks seems appealing, the Pelicans have seen those players struggle to win without LeBron James in the lineup. The Lakers may have plenty of young and promising talent but it doesn't mean that teams like the Pelicans are willing to surrender a franchise player for them.

Second, there might be league and media backlash if Davis and the Lakers get what they want. San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich famously lamented over a decade ago in what seemed at the time seem like a one-sided trade for Los Angeles in acquiring Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. Another blockbuster trade — this time it involves one of the league's best young players who is requesting to move one — to a big-market team with a storied history of winning championships would leave a bad taste in many people's mouths. It also seems as though it would be appeasing James, who no doubt joined the Lakers in the offseason with the intention of winning titles and can't do it alone.

There's also the Pelicans' willingness to stretch the Davis situation out. Wojnarowski pointed out that the Pelicans front office is willing to embark "on an uncomfortable, if not combative process that could extend months."

As for the Lakers, it would seem as though Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka are still dealing with the tough task of filling out the right roster to complement James. Players like Paul George, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard were on the Lakers' wish list, yet there is still no star player to play alongside James in 2019. The Lakers are even in danger of missing the playoffs with James not at full strength with a nagging groin injury.

Then there's the curious case of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. When the Lakers signed the shooting guard to a one-year deal, the perception was that he would be moved by the trade deadline. With the deadline just days away, Caldwell-Pope remains with the team and there haven't been any rumblings about a possible deal.

Caldwell-Pope is averaging 10.3 points per game on 43.2 percent shooting.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers are interested in a deal for Detroit Pistons swingman Reggie Bullock. The 27-year-old has an expiring contract that pays him $2.5 million this season.

Bullock is averaging 12 points per game on 38.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc.