The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics continue their pursuit of New Orleans Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis, with both teams attempting to put together a trade for the big man, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Celtics and Lakers are engaged in trade talks with New Orleans on All-NBA star Anthony Davis, league sources tell me, @ZachLowe_NBA, @ramonashelburne and @WindhorstESPN. Lakers No. 4 pick has been discussed as trade chip to help Pels acquire high-level player in multi-team deals.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 12, 2019
The Lakers have reportedly included Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and the No. 4 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft in trade talks with the Pelicans, however, according to The New York Times' Marc Stein, the Lakers are not willing to include forward Kyle Kuzma in the deal.
My sense is that the Lakers, to this point, have tried to keep Kyle Kuzma out of the talks and the full package New Orleans would receive in an Anthony Davis deal obviously depends on what the third team provides
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 12, 2019
The Lakers won't officially be able to complete a deal until the free agent moratorium ends on July 6 when their cap space opens up, while the Celtics cannot trade for Davis until after July 1, due to the Designated Rookie Extension Rule, meaning they can't make a trade for Davis until point guard Kyrie Irving officially becomes a free agent on June 30.
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The Celtics' ideal plan is to pair Davis with Irving, who earlier today turned down his 2019/20 player option, making him a free agent. Regardless of the uncertainty surrounding the Celtics roster, Davis' agent Rich Paul says a deal for Davis would be a rental and not a long-term option for the Celtics.
"They can trade for him, but it'll be for one year," Rich Paul told Sports Illustrated's S.L. Price. "I mean if the Celtics traded for Anthony Davis, we would go there and we would abide by our contractual [obligations] and we would go into free agency in 2020."
Davis, who is is under contract for $28.7 million through 2019/20, requested a trade in February, with his agent Paul telling the Pelicans his client had no intention of signing a long-term deal.
After the Lakers and Pelicans were unable to agree on a deal at the deadline, featuring most of the Lakers' young core, new Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin is now reportedly open to a multi-team deal in order to acquire the best package for the six-time All-Star, per Wojnarowski
