Jeff Chiu/Associated Press
The Boston Celtics might be prepared to go to great lengths to land New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis when they’re eligible to acquire the six-time All-Star this summer.
On Wednesday, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reported the Celtics “have made it clear that they will be ready and willing to offer an explosive package when the time arrives, and that no specific player will be off-limits in negotiations.”
According to Himmelsbach, the Pelicans have asked the Celtics for firm guarantees about what they’re willing to put on the table, which Boston has so far declined.
NBA rules preclude the Celtics from making an official move for Davis now. They already acquired Kyrie Irving from the Cleveland Cavaliers, and teams can’t trade for more than one player signed to a max extension under the Rose Rule.
As a result, Celtics general manager Danny Ainge has to take a back seat until the summer while the Los Angeles Lakers offer the Pelicans anyone not named LeBron James to acquire Davis.
The Los Angeles Times‘ Broderick Turner reported Tuesday that Los Angeles had offered Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Ivica Zubac, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and a pair of first-round draft picks for Davis.
As good as Davis is, trading for him would be risky. He’s eligible for free agency in 2020, so a team might sacrifice a lot of valuable rotation players or draft picks for what amounts to a 1.5-year rental.
The Celtics aren’t exempt from that. ESPN.com’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Monday that Boston wasn’t on the list of teams with whom Davis would sign a long-term extension following a trade. His father has also said he doesn’t want Davis to join the Celtics, citing the way in which the team traded an injured Isaiah Thomas to acquire Irving in the summer of 2017.
Irving is another variable as well. He’ll almost certainly opt out of his contract this summer, and he deflected questions about his future during a brief press session last week.
Davis might be less inclined to commit to Boston long term if Irving signs with another team in July.
However, Himmelsbach wrote any fears regarding Davis and Irving have about their fit with the Celtics would “be washed away” were they to play together.
from Viral News Updates http://bit.ly/2WIhXG5
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