LA Lakers pull out of talks to acquire Davis
Credit to Author: Tempo Online| Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2019 15:00:30 +0000
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – The Los Angeles Lakers have withdrawn from negotiations with the New Orleans Pelicans over Anthony Davis after complaining of ‘‘outrageous’’ trade requests, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
The Times said the Lakers had ‘‘pulled out’’ of talks with the Pelicans aimed at acquiring Davis after offering multiple players and draft picks for the All-Star.
Davis, who announced his desire to leave New Orleans earlier this month, is reportedly keen to join the Lakers and form a partnership with LeBron James.
However, the Times, citing a person with knowledge of the negotiations, reported Tuesday that the Lakers had now ended discussions after growing increasingly frustrated with the Pelicans.
Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, right, smiles as he walks past New Orleans Pelicans’ Anthony Davis. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
The report said that Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson informed Pelicans general manager Dell Demps that the organization had made its best and final offer and would not add anything else.
That offer is reported to have included Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Ivica Zubac and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as well as two first round draft picks.
However the Pelicans had requested between six and eight draft picks.
‘‘They wanted more and more and more,’’ the Times quoted one source familiar with the negotiations as saying. ‘‘There was no more to give… the more they wanted the more it because outrageous and unrealistic.’’
Davis, a 25-year-old forward who helped the United States capture 2012 London Olympic gold is the most prized player up for grabs as Thursday’s NBA trade deadline approaches.
Rich Paul, Davis’s agent and James’s agent, revealed the Davis trade demand a week ago, leading to a $50,000 fine for Davis from the NBA.