I’ve done my best to avoid all of the Boston-based talk about the Celtics acquiring Anthony Davis.
But…
This latest speculation isn’t coming from Gary Tanguay or other talking heads in the Boston media. This is coming from genuine NBA reporters (Chris Mannix and Howard Beck) who actually watch basketball (courtesy CSN):
“Boston’s sort of lurking out there,” Mannix said. “Boston, which still has infinite assets. They still are rich in these draft picks and young players…Is there any scenario where you would explore trading Anthony Davis?” he asked Beck.
Said Beck: “From the moment they acquired DeMarcus Cousins [last season], my thought process went something like this: This isn’t going to work. DeMarcus is going to leave after one year. Everybody going to get fired. The Pelicans are going to end up in Seattle. Anthony Davis is going to demand a trade.”
Beck doesn’t foresee the Cousins-Davis thing working, nor a smooth partnership of recently signed Rajon Rondo with Jrue Holiday in the Pelicans’ backcourt.
“It’s not that far-fetched,” he said of New Orleans parting with Davis. “They did nothing [in the offseason]. They’ve added no one of consequence. I don’t get any part of this.”
A plausible scenario especially if NO’s front office is wiped clean. This friendly reminder that Davis is under contract for next season, the year after that, the year after that, and the year after that. He’s not exactly in a position of leverage.
Beck and Mannix play along and get to the god-father offer:
“If you’re the Pelicans, they’re going to be very few offers that make you pause for Anthony Davis,” Mannix said. “Spin it forward to next June and the let’s say ping-pong balls fall Boston’s way. The Nets are bad, let’s say they’re number one. The Lakers land in the two through five range. Let’s say they wind up at three.
“One and three and Jayson Tatum?” Mannix theorized. “That’s going to be hard for New Orleans to turn down.”
Beck said the Celtics could potentially put together the best trade package the NBA has seen “in decades.”
That offer requires a tremendous amount of lottery luck.
This is where I check out and return to the real world.
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