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Los Angeles Lakers: Why its okay that LA didn’t land Anthony Davis

By Jason Reed

CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 02: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts after a play against the Charlotte Hornets during their game at Spectrum Center on December 2, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC - DECEMBER 02: Anthony Davis #23 of the New Orleans Pelicans reacts after a play against the Charlotte Hornets during their game at Spectrum Center on December 2, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. The Boston Celtics are not really a good fit for Anthony Davis

Part of me thinks that all of the reports about the Boston Celtics wanting the New Orleans Pelicans to wait to trade Davis until the offseason came from the Pelicans as a way to worry the Lakers and get them to bite on an insane price.

Because if the Celtics really wanted to go out and get Davis they easily could have done so at the deadline. I understand wanting to wait to see where the draft picks fall and potentially waiting until they can re-sign Kyrie Irving, but if they wanted to make a run, they could have done it now.

Now the Celtics are left with a situation where everything has to go right in the offseason and the Pelicans still have to agree to an offered trade. First and foremost, there really would be no point in trading for Davis if Kyrie Irving does indeed leave.

The New York Knicks have been a rumored destination for Irving for months and now they have the cap space. Heck, even the Lakers have been tied to Irving.

Let’s say Irving does stay. With the Pelicans’ asking price in mind and what the Lakers can offer the Celtics are going to have to send Gordon Hayward, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Smart (alongside picks) to the Pelicans for Davis.

The Pelicans would have to package Solomon Hill and another contract, such as E’Twaun Moore, in order to get this deal done.

And even then it is not a better offer than the Lakers. Hayward has not been great and because of his contract and age, I would say that Kyle Kuzma is more valuable for the Pelicans. Brandon Ingram might not be as valuable as Tatum but the gap is narrow and Lonzo Ball is better than Marcus Smart.

The Celtics finally don’t have the surplus of picks to offer up and don’t have much more outside of that package. You could flip Hayward for Al Horford and that is about it.

And again, this all matters on whether or not Irving wants to extend and if the Celtics would even be willing to sell a big chunk of the roster for what could just be a one-year rental in Davis.

Which leads to our final point…

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