NBA Trade Rumors: Top Buzz on Anthony Davis and More as 2019 Deadline Approaches – Bleacher Report

NBA trade rumors are flying fast and furiously with Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline rapidly approaching.

It’s important to remember we’re in peak smokescreen season. A rumor could be nothing more than a leverage play, so digest everything you hear with several grains of salt.

OK, let’s get to the fun stuff and see what the biggest basketball buzz is all about.

Lakers Still Waiting for Pelicans’ Counteroffer

If it seems like all of the Anthony Davis buzz of late has come from the Los Angeles Lakers, that’s because it has. Every day seems to bring about talks of a new offer from the Purple and Gold, while it remains crickets on the New Orleans Pelicans’ side.

Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson is apparently ready for that to change.

Johnson “wants the New Orleans Pelicans to start offering counter proposals” and is “threatening to end talks unless the Pelicans show a willingness to engage in a back-and-forth on reaching a deal,” league sources told ESPN.com’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Lakers upped the ante again Monday, reportedly adding Josh Hart and Ivica Zubac to a package that already featured Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Lonzo Ball and two first-rounders, sources told Wojnarowski. L.A., feeling as if it might be bidding against itself, reportedly insists nothing more will be added unless New Orleans shows “an increased engagement” in the trade talks.

Davis, a 25-year-old with MVP talent, requested a trade out of New Orleans last week and informed the franchise he would not sign a contract extension this summer. The Boston Celtics, thought to be among Davis’ biggest suitors, cannot trade for him before this summer without moving Kyrie Irving.

Davis hasn’t played since fracturing a finger on Jan. 18, although he has been medically cleared to return, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium. Davis, now a six-time All-Star, is averaging career bests with 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists.

Kristaps Porzingis Meeting With Knicks Lasted ‘Less Than Five Minutes’

As rapid as Kristaps Porzingis trade from the New York Knicks to the Dallas Mavericks seemed, some new background information shows trade winds had been blowing through the Big Apple for quite some time.

Marc Stein of the New York Times recently explained how this apparent zero-to-100 transaction wasn’t as fast as it appeared.

The Knicks, a source told Stein, “spent much of January quietly canvassing the league for potential Porzingis trades.” They aimed impossibly high at first—Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz, De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings—and were quickly shot down.

The Mavs, though, had been Porzingis fans “for years.” They also had recent top-10 pick Dennis Smith Jr., whom the Knicks “[had] been expressing interest in … all season.” They also discussed a Tim Hardaway Jr.-for-Wesley Matthews swap for weeks.

Porzingis and his brother/agent Janis met with New York brass last Thursday, but it may have only been to grease the wheels for his exit. A source told Stein the meeting “lasted less than five minutes” and included the Knicks being told “Porzingis was prepared to leave the team and continue his knee rehabilitation in Spain if he was not moved by this week’s league trade deadline.”

After the January shopping, the Knicks determined no one other than the Mavericks was prepared to take on the salaries owed to Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee, plus package a prospect like Smith with first-round picks.

The ramifications from this exchange could take a while to fully be felt. New York is now armed with more than $70 million in cap space, which might turn into Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving this summer or might deliver nothing more than false hopes. Porzingis, meanwhile, won’t suit up for Dallas this season before entering restricted free agency this summer.

Grizzlies in ‘Strong Talks’ With Hornets on Marc Gasol

The grit-and-grind Memphis Grizzlies may soon be officially moved to basketball’s memory banks.

Marc Gasol, who anchored the organization’s rise from forgettable lottery participant to perennial playoff participants, is reportedly close to the exit. Charania reported the Grizzlies are “in strong talks” to send their longtime centerpiece to the Charlotte Hornets.

The trade chatter was loud enough for Gasol to be held out of Memphis’ 108-106 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. Gasol did make it out to the bench, though, where Grizzlies fans received him with a standing ovation:

As final as that moment felt, though, Tuesday night turned into Wednesday morning without a deal. In fact, league sources told Sporting News’ Sean Deveney there is no “agreement in place” and “there is increasing skepticism on both sides that a trade can be brought to bear ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.”

Talks, of course, could re-ignite at any time, but Hornets fans might want to hold off on ordering that Gasol jersey for now.

Drafted by the Lakers in 2007 and traded to the Grizzlies in 2008 as part of a larger package for his brother, Pau, Gasol has spent 10-plus seasons in Memphis. The three-time All-Star and 2012-13 Defensive Player of the Year holds several of the franchise’s all-time records, including 25,917 minutes, 11,684 points and 1,135 blocks.

If Gasol lands in Charlotte, he should immediately become the No. 2 option behind—and best support for—All-Star starter Kemba Walker. The Hornets, currently seeded seventh in the East, are clearly looking to make some kind of splash before Walker enters unrestricted free agency this offseason.

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