Sorry to burst your bubble, trade-hungry NBA fans. Due to the Rose Rule, the Boston Celtics cannot trade for New Orleans Pelicans' Anthony Davis this season.
Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports NBA finally put an end to the Pelicans-Celtics trade rumors through his official Twitter account.
I don't know why we need to do this every few weeks, but the Boston Celtics can not trade for Anthony Davis this season, while Kyrie Irving is on the team on his current contract due to both being Rose Rule players.
And, as always, the Pelicans aren't trading Davis this season!
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 24, 2018
For those fans still not acquainted with the Rose Rule, it is a reward system that the league has implemented for players that are still under their rookie contracts. Here is a rundown of the rule, via Bobby Marks who was then writing for Yahoo Sports.
The league’s goal was to reward players operating under rookie-scale contracts who had signed a maximum salary extension but had outperformed the Tier 1 (25 percent) maximum salary slot.
If a player on his rookie contract accomplishes one of the following – (1) earns All-NBA first-, second- or third-team honors twice, (2) is voted an NBA All-Star starter by the fans twice, or (3) named NBA MVP – his salary slot will be eligible for the Tier 2 maximum salary (30 percent) when the extension begins in his fifth season.
However, it also limits a team to trading for two players that are under the Rose Rule. Since the Celtics have acquired Irving through a trade last year, they aren't allowed to make a deal for another Rose Rule player anymore.
Still, many believe that the Pelicans will keep Davis this season in hopes of convincing him to stay beyond his 2020 free agency. But that will be a long shot as the team doesn't have enough roster power to attract Davis into thinking that they are a true championship contender.
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