Los Angeles Clippers shouldn’t even bother inquiring about Anthony Davis

The Los Angeles Clippers are reportedly one of the team’s on Anthony Davis’ very short list of teams he would re-sign with, however, LA should stay away for now.

The Los Angeles Clippers are trying to add at least one superstar next offseason, if not two, in order to vastly accelerate the team’s rebuild and get right back into title contention.

Jerry West and the front office has done a great job of freeing up the cap space to make the Clippers a desirable destination for the league’s premier stars this summer. Those that join the Clippers would get the bright lights of LA without dealing with having to play alongside LeBron James.

One of the stars that the Los Angeles Clippers have been connected to is Anthony Davis, who the team could try and add before Thursday’s NBA Trade Deadline.

The Clippers were viewed as a longshot team that could be in the hunt for Davis that vastly saw their odds increase.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported that the Los Angeles Clippers are one of the four teams that Davis would be willing to sign an extension with if traded to. The other three being the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers.

With the Bucks not really having much to offer outside of Giannis Antetokounmp (which obviously won’t happen), the Knicks already trading Kristaps Porzings and how much the Lakers would have to pay, it opens the door for the Clippers.

The Pelicans are obviously asking for more out of the Lakers than other teams because they are in the Western Conference and it has been commonly understood for months now that the Lakers want to add a second star alongside LeBron James.

After the Lakers struck out on both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, the Pelicans are treating these discussions like they have the leverage, when really, they don’t have as much leverage as they think.

That leaves the Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics as the last two teams that potentially could make a deal happen for Davis.

The Clippers should not even bother inquiring about Davis, even if the Celtics also are not hard-pressed on adding Davis before the deadline.

Boston does have every reason to be hard-pressed in adding Davis. It might be the only thing to convince Kyrie Irving to stay long-term and would undoubtedly lead to the Celtics making the Finals the next two seasons.

If Davis does not sign long-term the team might at least keep Irving. If the Celtics can somehow make this happen without Jayson Tatum it would be huge for the franchise.

Either way, though, the Clippers do not really have much to offer the Pelicans and would not be worth offering the guys that they already have.

Just by gauging the Pelicans asking price and what other teams can offer it is clear that the Clippers would have to give up a significant amount. While it might not be as high as the Lakers, it would be high.

Lou Williams would undoubtedly have to be in the trade as would Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jerome Robinson. Adding Tobias Harris to the package and two-three draft picks makes this trade work financially for both sides.

The only problem is that Harris is on an expiring contract. New Orleans would still have Willaims to produce and the rookies to look forward to but potentially only getting the best player in return for 25 games is a tough pill to swallow.

Plus, with Jrue Holiday, the Clippers’ offer of primarily backcourt options does not seem too appealing. The Pelicans could then flip Holiday for young pieces in the frontcourt, which might not be a bad idea, but he is not going to get a great return because of his contract.

And even if the Pelicans do take that offer it would give the team Davis with virtually no roster around him. Danilo Gallinari, Montrezl Harrell, Avery Bradley, Sindarius Thornwell, Milos Teodosic and Tyrone Wallace would be the only guys that the Clippers would be able to retain.

However, Bradley has a buyout which will probably be used for cap space and Teodosic is a restricted free agent. Either way, that roster is alarmingly depleted after trading for Davis.

The Los Angeles Clippers are better suited in going after someone like Kawhi Leonard in free agency and then extending Harris past this season, not trading for Anthony Davis.