The Anthony Davis trade talks between the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Lakers are ramping up ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. With just days to go, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the Lakers have "gotten more serious" in their discussions.
Per Wojnarowski, the Lakers have offered a package of multiple young players and draft picks, as well as cap relief in exchange for New Orleans' superstar. Additionally, the two front offices have had multiple discussions on Monday, ahead of the Pelicans' matchup with the Pacers (8 p.m. ET -- Watch on FuboTV with NBA League Pass add-on).
Lakers president Magic Johnson and Pelicans GM Dell Demps have had multiple conversations today, league sources tell ESPN. There's no sense how much progress sides have made progress toward a possible trade, but the Lakers have absolutely gotten more serious in the discussions. https://t.co/R84Aetv9n3
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2019
The Los Angeles Times' Brad Turner reported further details, saying that the Lakers have offered Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Michael Beasley and two first-round picks in exchange for Davis and taking on Solomon Hill's contract.
Landed in Indy; update on Lakers-Pelicans talks. Magic Johnson, Dell Demps talked twice today, per source. Lakers willing to give Pelicans cap relief for Anthony Davis by taking Solomon Hill for Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Ingram, Rondo, Lance Stephenson, Beasley, 2 1st round picks.
— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) February 4, 2019
This news comes just days after the Pelicans were reportedly uninterested in what they considered "lowball" offers from the Lakers.
According to reports from both Shams Charania of The Athletic and ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Lakers' initial offer didn't include more than two of their young assets like Ball, Ingram, Kuzma and Josh Hart, no multiple first-round picks, nor a willingness to take on bad contracts in return.
Wojnarowski's sources tell him that the Lakers' first offer involved Ball, Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley and a first-round pick, which apparently wasn't serious enough for a Pelicans counter.
This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, really -- it's just how negotiations work. Obviously the Lakers aren't going to present their "Godfather" offer right off the bat, and instead will slowly add pieces until they pique the Pelicans' interest. Similarly, the Pelicans have no reason to counter this early on in negotiations as they listen to all the offers on the table and make the Lakers sweat out the possibility that they might not get Davis to pair with LeBron James.
As we've seen with Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler and most recently Kristaps Porzingis, often it's an under-the-radar team that ultimately presents the best offer for a disgruntled star, so the Pelicans would be doing themselves a disservice by jumping at initial offers from the Lakers.
