NBA Trade Rumors: Lakers Hopes Fading, Davis Considering Knicks, Celtics Least Favorite

The NBA trade deadline is less than 24 hours away and the Los Angeles Lakers’ hopes of landing Anthony Davis are quickly fading despite a mammoth offer to the New Orleans Pelicans that included five players and draft picks.

The Pelicans hierarchy seem like they are comfortable to hold on to the power forward and wait until the summer when more teams are likely to enter the race. They are yet to respond to the Lakers offer and with time running out, many feel it is unlikely to come through.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Pelicans general manager Dell Demps has had no contact with Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson even on Wednesday about their most recent trade offer. And the LA franchise is said to have very low hopes for concluding a deal on the final day of the trade deadline.

Davis, who requested the trade from the Pelicans via his agent at the end of January, has no shortage of suitors, with the Lakers only one among many teams looking to sign him either in the next few hours or in the summer. He was sidelined with a finger injury for the last two weeks, but is said to have returned to full fitness this week, only for the Pelicans to hold him back in case of a potential trade in the pipeline.

Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Davis holds the Knicks on equal footing with the Lakers, in terms of teams with whom he could sign long-term when he enters free agency in 2020. And entering free agency is something he is keen on doing with whichever team he signs for when the trade deal is finally agreed.

The Knicks are said to be willing to even make a concrete offer before tomorrow’s deadline, but are also willing to wait and sign him after the draft lottery in May, before embarking on their journey to land some of the big free agents that will be available in the summer. Kevin Durant is said to be on top of their wish list.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics, who are known to be long-term admirers of the forward, seem to be on the losing side despite possessing the best assets to convince Pelicans to accept a deal. They can only enter the fray in the summer, owing to having Kyrie Irving already on a designated contract.

They are said to have implored the Pelicans to wait until the summer and are aware they can outbid most — maybe all — of the other interested teams. But there is one major problem — Davis. The player is said to be uninterested in a move to Boston and according to Stein, the forward is adamant he will not sign long-term with the Celtics when he enters free agency in 2020.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls have agreed to a trade to acquire Otto Porter from the Washington Wizards for Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker. Wojarowski reported the trade also includes a 2023 second round pick to the Wizards.