mp3 wrote:Also I see the Pelicans are calling for tighter rules on tampering but yet I read on Twitter yesterday that Davis has requested a trade which we all knew about but Davis apparently told coaching staff that he plans to play out the season in NOLA first?? Which only means one thing and that's waiting for Boston to be in play for a trade? Doesn't that seem odd? Demand a trade but you will wait till the summer? Wouldn't you just wait till then to announce?
It's already been leaked that Boston isn't one of AD's top targets, partly because he is unsure what Kyrie will do (Will he stay or will he go).
Also, the Lakers have a monstrous advantage over the C's in the AD sweepstakes. Mainly because Rich Paul is his agent, who is also LeBrons agent. Anybody that thinks that LeBron and AD didn't discuss playing together AT ALL when they went to dinner after the game is delusional. And, if anybody actually thinks that Rich Paul is not in AD's ear constantly about all the benefits of going to LA (Weather, sponsors, attention, contender, etc) is also delusional.
The Lakers also have a package that could be offered that is extremely enticing for the Pelicans. They have Kuzma who has already proven that he will have a long, successful NBA career, Lonzo Ball, and even Brandon Ingram. Ingram is the exact opposite of what LeBron wants on the floor, as LeBron is incredibly ball dominant and dribbles for a good length of the shot clock before making a decision. Ingram needs the ball to be successful, and is NOT a spot up shooter, Ingram and LeBron have already visibly had disagreements on the floor. Sliding Davis in there for Kuzma, and pushing Rondo into the starting lineup (Who I still think is better than Ball, at this stage of his career), while having Josh Hart or Caldwell-Pope spacing the floor to spot up shoot, makes the Lakers better than they are right now, and that dynamic is better for LeBron because it gives him an alpha scorer and spot up shooters. Lakers would obviously include a first round draft pick in this case, without hesitation.
The Celtics outside of the weather being a disadvantage, have no ties to AD agent wise, communication with him (Paul/LeBron) is much less accessible, and the package the C's can put together for him would NOT include Tatum or Irving, so it's already less enticing by a lot. In fact, you know as well as I do that they wouldn't even consider doing a trade if it didn't include one of them.
I give the Lakers a 95% chance of landing AD, and I certainly don't think that he sticks with the Pelicans. People are crazy, before LeBron signed with the Lakers, I heard rumblings about all these different teams he would go to (Including teams like Indiana, WTF), when it was painfully obvious that he was going to end up in LA. This is another example of things being pretty obvious up to this point, and it would not shock me if Davis is traded before the deadline to the Lakers.
However, the very small chance that he doesn't go to LA (ends up in Boston), is if he doesn't want to play with LeBron. Which, comes with him being second in line credit wise no matter what he actually produces (with the media and most of the LeBron fans), and also the criticism that comes with playing with LeBron if the Lakers start losing (whether it's his fault or not). Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving could be playing perfectly fine (all-star level) with Cleveland, and people were still screaming that LeBron had no help. So, if he wants to make his own way free of that media frenzy and the LeBron craziness, that would be the only way I see him ending up with a team like the Celtics.
Celtics wise, I would hate for them to make any big roster change right now. This specific group hasn't even had a full season together, and can still beat any team in the East en route to the NBA finals, Beating the Warriors? It would take either a Warriors injury (To Curry), or a completely healthy Hayward, along with some stellar performances by the C's as a unit in general.
In regards to Thon Maker, he HAS been given a chance. He hasn't proven to be better in the rotation than John Henson (When he was healthy and they had him), Ilyasova or Brook Lopez. Maker would have greatly benefited from being on a poor club, like NY, or PHO etc. The reason Chriss even got so many reps is because he was on the woeful Suns. At the moment, even useless Dragan Bender is starting and getting reps for the Suns because they are trying to showcase him for any teams that may be interested. Chriss and Maker both seem to suffer from a lack of confidence, both look hesitant and uncomfortable. With Maker, it's possible that it could be remedied by actually given starter type minutes in order to gain more confidence and work through his issues. Chriss on the other hand, I am not sure he will ever be a solid NBA player.