You People Are Scaring Me Regarding Anthony Davis...

[Phantom255x]

Of course we'd love Anthony Davis, who wouldn't? But my god some of these trade ideas around here are just...   

I've seen people post, "Crowder, Smart, Brown, Tatum, and Morris + package of first round picks (Nets, Lakers included) for Anthony Davis", or something along those lines 

Then I've seen some post, Horford, Tatum/Brown, Rozier, Crowder, Picks for Anthony Davis.

What exactly are we telling future FA's and players if we sign our first marquee FA in history (Horford), only to trade him like 1.5 or 2 years later...

I understand that New Orleans won't trade AD (4 whole years of control left) for peanuts, but aren't these proposed ideas basically gutting our team in a sense, too?

I also understand that in terms of AD's salary and Isaiah impending FA, and to make it all fit, it will be difficult to acquire Anthony Davis in that regard (fitting salaries, cap space, all that calculus involved).

I think the name we should be looking more at this deadline or next summer is KRISTAPS PORZINGIS. Will still cost quite a bit in trade as well, but he has 2 years left on his ROOKIE (cheap) deal as of now, is more likely to leave due to frustration if Knicks start off horrible, and the Knicks FO is a bigger mess than Pelicans IMO. There's probably a good chance KP isn't available either, but I'd bet more $$ that if someone got traded between the 2 based on situations/circumstances, it's KP.

And honestly I think Mannix is just having fun with this. There's no truth to the Davis rumors at all (that he's even remotely going to be available). I wish there was, but Pelicans have ZERO reason to trade him with 4 years left on his deal (if Cousins-AD doesn't work, they can just trade Cousins and try again to build around AD). Now if AD himself demanded out, that's a different story, but I haven't heard that yet.

Meanwhile for Porzingis... he skipped his exit meeting, has barely spoken to the Knicks, has tweeted out a few questionable things, and has his brother talking for him to the media mostly. THAT is someone who is frustrated and may want out real soon, especially once Carmelo is traded.

What do you guys think?

[CelticsElite]

I love Anthony Davis. I think he has a chance to be the best player in the game. We might not need him though which would be great. At least for the time being

[Phantom255x]

I love Anthony Davis. I think he has a chance to be the best player in the game. We might not need him though which would be great. At least for the time being

Same, he's a great player and he's only 24 (!!)

Could you actually imagine Anthony Davis on a team coached by Brad Stevens though... 

[Ed Hollison]

I agree that it would be controversial to trade Horford -- he was your first marquee FA ever, and by all accounts a great guy who elevates the team culture and fits perfectly with who the Celtics want to be. Trading him away after 2 years wouldn't look good. But I don't think it's a deal breaker. If you have the chance to get a generational talent like Anthony Davis in his 20s, these things are secondary.

[Smartacus]

I'm fairly confident that if we were to get Anthony Davis we wouldn't have to sell off everything not tied down but difficult decisions would have to be made.

I'd hate to see Horford go but unfortunately that might be the only way for salary matching purposes. A Horford/Davis frontline would be probably top in the league but if the only way to get AD is to part with Al and settle for a lesser option next to Davis then you still do that deal.

From Al's perspective maybe he could find peace in using the final years of his career to mentor what would be an exciting young Pelicans squad and enjoy some of the finest food in the world, in a climate more similar to his native Dominican Republic.

[JHTruth]

I'm fairly confident that if we were to get Anthony Davis we wouldn't have to sell off everything not tied down but difficult decisions would have to be made.

I'd hate to see Horford go but unfortunately that might be the only way for salary matching purposes. A Horford/Davis frontline would be probably top in the league but if the only way to get AD is to part with Al and settle for a lesser option next to Davis then you still do that deal.

From Al's perspective maybe he could find peace in using the final years of his career to mentor what would be an exciting young Pelicans squad and enjoy some of the finest food in the world, in a climate more similar to his native Dominican Republic.

Just remember what we had to give up for KG, a much older, similar player.

Al Jeff, GG, Telfair, Gomes, Theo's expiring, and two first rounders. Now that seems like a fair deal now, but at the time it was a massive haul.

I have no doubt we would have to AT least give up Tatum and the Brooklyn first to even get the talks started. And we have to trade a ton of players just to make the salaries work or one large salary such as Horford or a resigned IT.

[mmmmm]

You could match AD's salary with various combinations of smaller contracts.

Jae + Morris + Baynes + Smart gets you enough to match AD's salary.

You can make a case for any of these four contracts being used as filler in such a deal.  Jae and Morris are both dirt cheap and on multi-year control.  Baynes and Smart are expiring so no long-term commitment.

More realistically, a trade for Anthony Davis is going to involve including one of Jaylen or Jayson (along with a draft pick package).  So you would take one of those two guys and insert him into the above in place of any of Morris, Baynes or Smart.

So here is the framework of an Anthony Davis deal:

• Send one of Jaylen or Jayson.
  
• Send three of Jae, Morris, Baynes or Smart
  
• Add in some draft picks.
  

Push all these chips to the center of the table with a bottle of very, very expensive bourbon.

After the trade, you have:

Davis
Horford
Hayward
Thomas
Tatum or Brown
Zizic
Rozier
Yabusele
Semi
Theis
Nader
one of Morris/Smart/Baynes

plus Bird & Allen stashed wherever.

[Roy H.]

I don't think trading a guy halfway through his contract to massively upgrade the team says anything negative to free agents, frankly. 

Anthony Davis is a 24 year old superstar. Those are the type of guys you pay for.

[greece66]

AD won't come cheap.

This is a deal you only do if you think IT, Hayward, AD and Horford together is a contender.

[CelticsElite]

Its kind of like getting prime KG. That Gets you a decade of contention.

[JHTruth]

Its kind of like getting prime KG. That Gets you a decade of contention.

Meh not really. You still have to put the pieces around him or you're just the Boston Pelicans. Gutting our young talent and draft picks means you think IT, Hayward, Horford, and AD can grab some rings from GSW before the wheels fall off IT and Horford. IT would be 29 at the start of next season, Horford 32. Then you're just in another rebuild situation.

One has to wonder about our chances with that core if Cousins, Jrue, and AD can't even make the playoffs but somehow we'd be a title contender..

[KG Living Legend]

 I'm all set with Davis for the price. I want to see this stacked roster develop. Davis can come in a few years as a FA.

[CelticsElite]

Its kind of like getting prime KG. That Gets you a decade of contention.

Meh not really. You still have to put the pieces around him or you're just the Boston Pelicans. Gutting our young talent and draft picks means you think IT, Hayward, Horford, and AD can grab some rings from GSW before the wheels fall off IT and Horford. IT would be 29 at the start of next season, Horford 32. Then you're just in another rebuild situation.

One has to wonder about our chances with that core if Cousins, Jrue, and AD can't even make the playoffs but somehow we'd be a title contender..

there's no proof we will have to gut the team. We might get Bagley next year. Him and another pick should get it done. If it doesn't we roll with Bagley or whoever we get in the lotto. New Orleans will have no leverage if Davis asks to leave the team

[Moranis]

New Orleans does not even consider trading Davis until after the season and maybe even after free agency starts, which means Boston might be able to match his salary by pretty much only trading the players selected with the BKN and LAL picks (if they are say 1 and 2) and Morris or Crowder (I'm a bit torn on which one I'd rather trade though the season may make it easier).  Thus this idea that the team would be gutted is likely very premature.  The question then becomes do you trade 2 of Bagley/Porter/Ayton/Bamba for Davis.  I think you do. 

So you trade the two picks and Morris for Davis and then re-sign Thomas (Smart is pretty much gone unless he takes a heavy discount) and enter next season

PG - Thomas, Rozier
SG - Brown, Vet Min, Rookie
SF - Hayward, Crowder
PF - Davis, Tatum, Yabusele, Nader
C - Horford, Zizic, Theis

Even if James stays in Cleveland next summer, that team would be favored in the East and would pose a real threat to the Warriors. 

[JHTruth]

Its kind of like getting prime KG. That Gets you a decade of contention.

Meh not really. You still have to put the pieces around him or you're just the Boston Pelicans. Gutting our young talent and draft picks means you think IT, Hayward, Horford, and AD can grab some rings from GSW before the wheels fall off IT and Horford. IT would be 29 at the start of next season, Horford 32. Then you're just in another rebuild situation.

One has to wonder about our chances with that core if Cousins, Jrue, and AD can't even make the playoffs but somehow we'd be a title contender..

there's no proof we will have to gut the team. We might get Bagley next year. Him and another pick should get it done. If it doesn't we roll with Bagley or whoever we get in the lotto. New Orleans will have no leverage if Davis asks to leave the team

Yeah I would trade Bags for AD. It would probably take more than that for a superstar just entering his prime though