It took longer than expected, but all of the attention is on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers after Anthony Davis requested a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans.
With the Lakers having increased their offer after initially presenting the Pelicans with five proposals, the trade deadline can be extremely difficult for any player.
Since James is the only untouchable player on the Lakers roster, the Davis speculation is reportedly ‘weighing heavily’ on the young core. As Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma are trying to embrace the situation, Lonzo Ball’s camp is reportedly trying to dictate their potential next team.
Considering all the drama leading to Thursday, James reacted to the Davis trade rumors and how it can impact the team’s locker room, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN:
“There ain’t nothing to talk about,” James told McMenamin when asked about the uncertainty some in the locker room could feel. “That ain’t nothing but fantasy basketball until something happens. We’ll see what happens.”
Earlier this season, James dominated the headlines for openly saying he wanted to play with Davis. While the NBA issued a statement amid the tampering allegations, the 34-year-old doubled down on his statement and mentioned every possible player that came to mind.
As it is unclear what the Pelicans will do with Davis, there is plenty of pressure on them. Although the Boston Celtics have the most assets come July 1, Davis’ father believes they have ‘no loyalty’ after trading Isaiah Thomas and that could impact a potential trade.
Davis himself isn’t said to be interested in the Celtics, but a recent report suggests he would remain with the Milwaukee Bucks long term.
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