You did it, Anthony Davis-to-the-Boston Celtics truthers. You really, truly, actually, wholly did it.
The big man is—or rather, was—sufficiently worried enough about the conspiracy theories masquerading as rumors to address them with the New Orleans Pelicans.
From the NOLA.com’s William Guillory:
“I get asked all types of random stuff,” he said with smile. “The craziest (question) was if I was going to Boston.”
Davis meant it as a joke, but he acknowledged that it was hard to ignore the amount of trade rumors this summer that have speculated about his potential departure from New Orleans.
In particular, the Celtics have been linked with the four-time All-Star as a sensible destination if things ever went bad in New Orleans because of the vast number of trade assets they possess.
Davis said that he spoke with his agent, Thaddeus Foucher, and Pelicans general manager Dell Demps about the rumors earlier in the offseason and he was assured that there was nothing to worry about.
Shout-out to Davis’ campers for doing Danny Ainge’s work for them.
Anyway, of course the Celtics are interested in Davis. Twenty-nine other NBA teams, including the Pelicans, join them in that infatuation. That doesn’t mean Davis is going there. Boston has just amassed so many blockbuster sweeteners that pipe dreams must be taken to new levels of ambition.
Which isn’t to say the Pelicans aren’t on the clock. They most definitely are. And that clock turns into a ticking time bomb should they fail to retain DeMarcus Cousins beyond next season. Davis can become a free agent in 2020 (player option). That feels like forever away, but it’s not.
Lose Cousins, and the Pelicans are essentially one year away from trading Davis as an expiring contract. And those are probably the only circumstances under which they consider moving him: Cousins leaves, they play out 2018-19, they strikeout on a 2019 free-agency coup and Davis makes it clear he’s not interested in signing the designated player exception with them. Then, and likely only then, will they consider moving on from someone who remains a top-10, bordering on top-five, player in today’s NBA.
So, sorry, Boston. It should be at least another two years before Davis is within reach—if he’s ever there at all.
