NBA Rumors: Anthony Davis To Knicks? NY Could Trade #1 Overall Pick For Pelicans Star

Last week’s NBA trade deadline came and went without the one trade everyone in the basketball world expects will happen sooner or later. The New Orleans Pelicans held onto superstar Anthony Davis, as no deal with the Los Angeles Lakers materialized. The Pelicans will now wait until after the end of the season to figure out what to do with Davis.

While the Boston Celtics are expected to aggressively pursue Davis with their strong assets, one other team could potentially step in and disrupt that deal. Marc Berman of the New York Post said the Pelicans would “pay attention” to offers from the Knicks if New York gets a top two pick in the upcoming draft lottery.

The annual draft lottery is on May 14. The Knicks currently sit at a putrid 10-45, having lost 16 consecutive games. If they keep this up, they will finish with the worst record in the NBA. That would give them a 14 percent chance of getting the top pick.

The top pick will, in all likelihood, be used on Duke freshman sensation Zion Williamson. The 18-year-old has made several highlight reel plays this year for the Blue Devils, including a long-range shot block that went viral over the weekend.

A source reportedly told Berman that the Pelicans would consider a package involving the first pick, one of the first-rounders Dallas gave up for Kristaps Porzingis and some of the Knicks’ younger players. Those include Kevin Knox and Frank Ntilikina.

According to Berman, the Pelicans were not as interested in a package that included Porzingis because the 23-year-old Latvian star might not have stayed in New Orleans long-term. Davis reportedly would be interested in staying in New York after his contract expires.

Acquiring Davis would fit into the Knicks’ rumored plans to chase after superstars in the offseason. The ailing big-market franchise traded Porzingis last week presumably to clear room for the arrival of players like Davis, Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving. The Knicks can add two max players this summer.

Getting Davis could help the Knicks seduce Durant, who many in the league expect to go to New York anyway. The two-time reigning Finals MVP got combative with reporters last week for bringing up the Knicks rumors.