Pelicans star Anthony Davis has requested a trade, informing the team he has no interest in re-signing. With news of Davis wanting out came reports that the Knicks have strong interest in trading for him. Here are the latest rumors...

June 12, 3:54 PM:

The Anthony Davis sweepstakes has already started, as ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is hearing the Celtics and Lakers are already engaged in trade talks with the Pelicans.

Those two teams will likely be the Knicks' top competition for Davis' talents next season. Rich Paul, his agent, did mention that the Celtics would likely get him as a rental for one season.

However, Woj adds that Boston's desire in Davis hasn't changed. They still believe acquiring him would be their best shot at signing Kyrie Irving to a new deal.

June 12, 11:29 AM:

Davis' agent. Rich Paul, spoke about why the Knicks are a desirable long-term option.

"The only difference is they don't have as many championships as the Lakers," Paul said, according to SI. "They got a tradition. It's a big market. ... Not that it's only big markets. They have cap space, flexibility, they're able to absorb more than one star. What's wrong with that?"

June 12, 9:26 AM:

Rich Paul said that if his client is traded to the Celtics this summer it would be as a rental.

"(The Celtics) can trade for him but it it'll be for one year," Paul said. "In the event that he decides to walk away and you (gave) away assets? Don't blame Rich Paul."

Paul went on to compare the Lakers to Jennifer Lopez and waxed poetic about the Knicks.

June 11, 7:25 PM:

As the Davis trade rumors ramp up again, Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin was asked on Tuesday if he envisions making a deal centering around Davis before the NBA Draft on June 20.

"I don't anticipate anything of major significance other than the meeting with Zion [Williamson] and his family," he said, per The Times-Picayune. "I never anticipate that. I'm open-minded. I think we all are. There's a point at which we act.

"If things evolve in such a way that it's time for us to make a decision relative to Anthony Davis or any other part of the organization, we will. But we're not in a hurry to do anything. We don't feel there is a time sensitivity to anything we're talking about. That includes AD's desire to stay or not stay. It's not something there'a shot clock on."

June 10, 5:55 PM:

Davis has narrowed his list of preferred teams to two: the Knicks and Lakers, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.

While Davis appears to have eliminated the Celtics and Nets as potential trade partners with the Pelicans, he has not provided New Orleans EVP of Basketball Operations David Griffin with a formal list, Charania notes.

June 10, 12:27 PM:

Griffin has started providing interested teams with the framework he will require in order to trade Davis, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

According to Wojnarowski, the Knicks, Nets, Lakers, and Clippers are among the teams who have recently spoken with the Pelicans, with Griffin not sounding "convinced" that any deal could get done without involving a third team.

The Pelicans prefer to have a trade done before the NBA Draft on June 20 and are seeking a combination of assets that include "an All-Star player, a young player with All-Star potential and two first-round picks," according to Wojnarowski.

June 4, 1:00 PM:

The Athletic's Shams Charania reported earlier that Davis' stance wasn't going to change, and he has some new info that confirms that.

Pelicans EVP David Griffin is ready to listen to trade proposals from teams, as his objective to convince Davis to stay seems to have failed. Charania says Griffin has already begun the process of finding the right trade candidate, and the Knicks' front office will definitely be on that phone line.

May 29, 5:11 PM:

Another tidbit of information regarding Davis came from The Athletic's Shams Charania today. He reported with talks continuing between Pelicans EVP David Griffin and Davis' agent Rich Paul, the All-Star center's stance is "highly unlikely" to have changed. He still wants to be moved.

Griffin and Davis reportedly met today, where Griffin likely gave his last effort to pitch Davis about how the Pelicans can turn for the best. The addition of Zion Williamson was most likely in that pitch as well.

May 29, 10:34 AM:

While the expectation remains that Davis will not rescind his trade request, he'll be meeting with Pelicans EVP David Griffin on Wednesday, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Griffin recently spoke about why he thinks New Orleans should be appealing to Davis for the long-term, and it's fair to believe he'll be pushing that idea in person on Wednesday.

May 17, 4:09 PM:

Pelicans owner Gayle Benson told Fletcher Mackel of WDSU News that the reported "To the Lakers, over my dead body" statement is "totally absurd" and "completely untrue."

Mackel also added that the Pelicans front office believes this latest allegation is "coming from the same people who said Zion may not want to come to New Orleans."

May 17, 11:47 AM:

According to ESPN's Jackie McMullan, Pelicans owner Gayle Benson has directed GM David Griffin to avoid trading Anthony Davis to the Lakers. She reportedly told him, "To the Lakers, over my dead body."

However, SNY Insider Ian Begley reported that an executive said that he and other executives see the possibility of Davis, Irving and LeBron playing together in LA as "very realistic." AD would certainly be open to re-signing with the Knicks if he felt he could succeed here, Begley also reported.

May 10, 6:17 PM:

According to The Athletic's David Aldridge, if the Celtics decide to trade for Davis, the All-Star would still consider re-signing with Boston even if Kyrie Irving leaves, but the odds of Davis doing that in such a scenario would be much lower than if Irving stayed.

Feb. 16, 12:25 PM:

With All-Star Weekend underway in Charlotte, Davis told the Daily News' Stefan Bondy he is "focused on winning on this point of my career and wherever that may be." So why would he want the Knicks to be on his desired list?

"It's a great franchise," Davis said. "Playing in obviously the Garden, the city. But obviously Milwaukee is on that list, too."

Davis said "Big market, small market" it doesn't matter to him as long as winning is involved. And that includes the Celtics, who Davis said "were never not on my list."

Feb. 7, 8:20 PM:

Davis will play the remainder of the season for the Pelicans, general manager Dell Demps said in a statement on Thursday. Dell said a number of factors contributed to the decision and New Orleans looks forward to seeing Davis in a Pelicans uniform again soon.

"Ultimately, Anthony made it clear to us that he wants to play and he gives our team the best opportunity to win games," Dell said. "Moreover, the Pelicans want to preserve the integrity of the game and align our organization with NBA policies. We believe Anthony playing upholds the values that are in the best interest of the NBA and its fans."

Feb. 7, 11:53 AM:

Talks between the Lakers and Pelicans for Davis are dormant, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who says there is no expectation the two sides will even speak before the 3 p.m. deadline.

Feb. 7, 9:36 AM:

As the deadline approaches at 3 p.m., it's still possible the Pelicans will move Davis, but Marc Berman of the New York Post outlines two reasons why it makes sense for them to wait until the summer to trade Davis.

First, Berman cites sources who believe that for a trade package with the Knicks to be acceptable, their upcoming Draft pick would have to be No. 1 or No. 2 -- something that won't be known for months.

The second reason for the Pelicans to wait is the fact that the Celtics can't trade for Davis until the summer. But one flaw with that logic is that Davis is reportedly uninterested in signing with the Celtics long-term.

Tick tock.

Feb. 6, 9:50 PM:

As the trade deadline slowly comes to a close, the Knicks are reportedly on "equal footing" with the Lakers in terms of Davis' interest of a landing spot, per The New York Times Marc Stein. Stein says the Clippers and Bucks are also in the running.

The Lakers have been the front runner to land Davis, sending multiple trade packages to Pelicans' GM Dell Demps. However, Demps hasn't returned calls to Magic Johnson in LA, and there doesn't seem to be anything being worked on between both sides. If the Knicks are on the same level as the Lakers, though, then this trade deadline could get interesting in its final hours.

What the Knicks would be able to give up in a trade is unknown after they dumped the contracts of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee along with Kristaps Porzingis. There is the disgruntled Enes Kanter on the books as well as expiring contracts in Wesley Johnson and DeAndre Jordan, and they have two fututre first-round picks from Dallas along with their own this year.

Feb. 6 1:28 PM:

The New Orleans Pelicans still have not responded to the Los Angeles Lakers' most recent trade proposal for Davis, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday that the Lakers were still engaging in talks with the Pelicans but would not bid against themselves. The Los Angeles Times, however, said that the Lakers have moved on from negotations and have submitted their best offer.

Feb. 5, 2:37 PM:

Because of "outrageous" demands by the Pelicans, the Lakers have pulled out of the Davis trade sweepstakes for now, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Turner notes that Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson told the Pelicans on Tuesday morning that they had made their best offer and would be moving on.

Reporting from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski was less forceful, with him saying the Lakers are still open to engaging the Pelicans, but won't bid against themselves.

Feb. 4, 3:09 PM:

The Lakers have gotten "more serious" in discussions with the Pelicans for Anthony Davis, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who is reporting that Los Angeles offered a new package that "includes multiple young players, multiple draft picks and Pelicans salary cap relief."

Feb. 4, 1:55 PM:

The Pelicans have reportedly been given the names of "a handful" of teams, beyond the Knicks and Lakers, that Anthony Davis would be willing to sign a long-term deal with if traded, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, but the Celtics aren't one of them. The Bucks and Clippers, however, are on the list.

Feb. 2, 10:00 AM:

The Lakers offered the Pelicans a package of Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley and a first-round pick, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, but have not offered a package that includes multiple first-round picks or salary cap relief.

Feb. 1, 8:00 PM:

Davis' father said on Friday that he does not want his son playing for the Boston Celtics. He added that this is his opinion only, and can't speak for his son.

"Boston... I would never want my son to play for Boston after what they done to Isaiah Thomas... NO LOYALTY... guy gives his heart and soul and they traded him... anyone can print that," Anthony Davis Sr. said via text to ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Feb. 1, 2:34 PM:

Davis addressed reporters on Friday and said that he has not given the Pelicans a timeline or destination for a trade, but explained that he requested one because it's "my time" to start winning at the highest level.

Davis added that whatever happens and wherever he ends up, he still wants to play this year.

Feb. 1, 12:20 PM:

The Athletic's Shams Charania reports the Lakers remain Davis' top preferred destination and adds that the Knicks are also a preferred landing spot whereas the Celtics are not. The Knicks also pushed to make a deal with the Pelicans centering around Kristaps Porzingis before making the trade with Mavericks.

Jan. 31, 2:42 PM:

After being unable to get Pelicans GM Dell Demps to answer their calls regarding Davis, the Lakers have connected with him, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Lakers have presented the Pelicans with five different offers for Davis, reports Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times, who notes the team is waiting to hear back and has no plans to outbid the Celtics if the Davis saga reaches the offseason.

Jan. 31, 11:52 AM:

Because Kristaps Porzingis has not yet proven to be healthy after ACL surgery, the Knicks will be "unlikely" to include him in any trade package for Davis at the moment, reports Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe of ESPN. That would mean any package with Porzingis in it would need to be a sign-and-trade after the season -- something Porzingis (who will be a restricted free agent) would be "reluctant" to agree to.

Meanwhile, while he's taking calls from other teams, Pelicans GM Dell Demps has still not returned the Lakers' call about Davis, and the team sees "no reason" to trade Davis to the Lakers before the Feb. 7 deadline on what would be a schedule dictated by Los Angeles.

Jan. 30, 8:58 AM:

As rumors swirl and teams -- including the Knicks -- reportedly prepare offers for Davis, Pelicans GM Dell Demps is "not picking up his phone," reports ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Man this FaceTime glitch is WILD pic.twitter.com/HzFIBQfMHx
- SNY (@SNYtv) January 29, 2019

Jan. 29 6:24 PM:

Davis is "open" to heading to New York to play for the Knicks, per Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher.

The Pelicans All-Star was also fined $50,000 by the NBA on Tuesday for violating a collectively-bargained rule prohibiting players or their representatives from making public trade demands. The statements were made by Davis' agent, Rich Paul, in an attempt to undermine his client's contractual relationship with the Pelicans.

Jan. 29, 4:40 PM:

The Bucks have entered the Davis sweepstakes and have offered the Pelicans any players on their roster not named Giannis Antetokounmpo, per reporter Gery Woelfel. Milwaukee is still in the middle of a rebuild, with Khris Middleton expected to opt out of his 2019 option.

Jan. 29, 9:13 AM:

The Pelicans will need to be overwhelmed by an offer to trade Davis before the Feb. 7 trade deadline, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Wojnarowski adds that Davis and his agent are expected to soon make it clear that Davis (signed through the 2019-20 season) prefers to land with the Lakers (where he would sign an extension) and would be a rental player for any other acquiring team.

According to Wojnarowski, Davis' agent leaking the Lakers as the preferred destination would be "an attempt to depress offers in the marketplace, a way to perhaps make the Lakers' trade package more appealing."

Aside from the Lakers and Knicks, the Bucks and Raptors are expected to make offers to the Pelicans for Davis, reports Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer.

Jan. 28, 3:26 PM:

The Knicks and Lakers are preparing offers to acquire Davis, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who says the Celtics aren't a "top target" for Davis and the 76ers currently have no plans to pursue him.

Because of the above, Haynes says the Knicks "may be the premier Eastern Conference threat" to land Davis.

Jan. 28, 11:28 AM:

Davis' trade request caught Pelicans officials by surprise, and it is "far from guaranteed" that they will trade him before the Feb. 7 deadline, reports Jake Fischer of SI.

Jan. 28, 10:44 AM:

If the Knicks are willing to include their upcoming unprotected first round draft pick in a deal, they would be "in the game" for Davis, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

Jan. 28, 8:40 AM:

The Knicks plan to be "aggressive" in their pursuit of Davis, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, who said Kristaps Porzingis could be a piece they look to trade. However, Wojnarowski noted that Porzingis "may not be open" to re-signing with the Pelicans, and said that if that is the case, the Knicks' "best chance" to get Davis could be to land the number one pick in the Draft (potentially Zion Williamson) and offer it to the Pelicans.

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