The New Orleans Pelicans finally addressed Anthony Davis' trade request Monday afternoon by releasing an official statement.
The New Orleans Pelicans released the following statement regarding Anthony Davis:
This past weekend, Anthony Davis’ representatives informed us that Anthony does not wish to sign a contract extension with our team and subsequently has requested a trade. Although we are disappointed in this decision, our organization’s top priority is to bring an NBA championship to our city and fans and build our team for long-term success.
Relative to specific talks of a trade, we will do this on our terms and our timeline. One that makes the most sense for our team and it will not be dictated by those outside of our organization. We have also requested the League to strictly enforce the tampering rules associated with this transaction.
The interesting part of this statement is the Pelicans saying "Relative to specific talks of a trade, we will do this on our terms and our timeline. One that makes the most sense for our team and it will not be dictated by those outside of our organization."
The timeline that makes the most sense for the Pelicans is waiting to trade Davis in the summer, and not doing it before the Feb. 7 trade deadline.
By waiting until the summer, the Celtics would officially be able to enter the fray. The Celtics cannot trade for Davis during the season because of the designated player rule (explained here). The only way for Boston to acquire him before the trade deadline is by including Kyrie Irving in a deal, and that seems extremely unlikely.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports reported Monday, citing sources, that "Boston is not a top target for Davis." However, if the Pelicans want the best possible return for Davis, Boston would need to be in the picture because the Celtics can create the most compelling package of quality trade assets.
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