The New Orleans Pelicans reportedly tried to steer their star big man Anthony Davis from hiring Rich Paul of Klutch Sports before signing with him last fall, according to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.
Once Davis parted ways with his former agent Thad Foucher and consequently signed with Paul, a lifelong friend of LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers, the Pelicans knew the “writing was on the wall” and saw it as a matter of time before the five-time All-Star sought his way out to Los Angeles.
Paul and Davis had yet to say anything as far as his preferred destination, but many league executives are already expecting the duo to say he won't be willing to re-sign with any other team but the Lakers, in an effort to depress the market and rush the Pelicans into doing a deal with them before the Feb. 7 trade deadline.
The Pelicans have been forthcoming and said they will operate under their own deadline, while the Boston Celtics await with the best package at hand, but only able to offer it in the offseason, as they are locked by the “Rose Rule” which prohibits two players signed under 30 percent of the team salary cap provision (in this case Davis and Kyrie Irving) to be on the same roster.
New Orleans is happy to wait for Boston to join the race, raising the ante and driving up Davis' trade value to the other 28 teams willing to trade for him.
The league is currently investigating the timing of Davis' trade request, as a potential link between the Lakers and Klutch Sports could have set up something forbidden by the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Follow Us
Subscribe