The Pelicans won't be shipping Anthony Davis up to Boston — not yet.
Davis doesn't plan on signing a contract extension with the Pelicans and has requested a trade out of New Orleans, and it's no secret that the Celtics (along with just about every other team in the league) are interested in acquiring him. However, in the race for Davis, the Celtics find themselves a few steps behind out of the gate.
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Boston can't currently put Davis and Kyrie Irving together because of the "Rose Rule." NBA teams aren't able to acquire multiple players via trade that signed rookie extensions for 30 percent of their team’s salary cap. Davis and Irving each signed this kind of extension, and since the Celtics traded for Irving, that pushes Davis off the table. (The Celtics could trade Irving as part of a hypothetical Davis deal, but the idea is to put stars together, so... not gonna happen.)
This gives Davis suitors a temporary advantage over the Celtics ahead of the Feb. 7 trade deadline. If a team like the Lakers wants to ensure Davis doesn't end up in green and white, the time for action is now. Put together your best package and make the call to Pelicans general manager Dell Demps. Don't let Boston enter the fray.
However, the Celtics still have a chance to win the AD sweepstakes — they just need to hope Davis is a Pelican after the deadline.
MORE: Pelicans' patience with Davis is bad news for Lakers
Irving will turn down his player option this summer, making him a free agent so he can sign a new deal and remove any obstacles in a potential Davis trade. Once the calendar hits July 1, Boston can open its treasure chest of assets. With youngsters like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown and multiple first-round draft picks, the Celtics are capable of blowing away any competing offer.
Those are valuable pieces for a small-market franchise, and New Orleans could set itself up for a successful rebuild. It's always possible a team emerges and presents the Pelicans with a can't-miss trade, but the best course of action seems to be patience.
Well, that's what Celtics fans want to see, anyway.
