Kevin Durant on Anthony Davis' Trade Request: 'Why Not Do What You Want?'

On Monday, Anthony Davis informed the New Orleans Pelicans he doesn't intend to sign a long-term contract extension with the team this summer and wants a trade, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant was asked about the situation and lended his support for whatever path Davis takes, per Nick Friedell of ESPN.com: 

"It's definitely a topic of conversation. All NBA news is. I mean it's not that serious. So it's like, why not talk about it? So AD wanting to play basketball somewhere else, it's not like the President shutting down the government. It's just basketball so of course we talk about it. We all as players, we want guys to do exactly what they want to do in this league, we have a short amount of time, so why not do what you want?"

Durant's take on the matter isn't terribly surprising, as he chose to sign with the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2016 and was promptly vilified for the decision. Durant likely has few regrets with the move, of course, as he and the Warriors have won two straight NBA titles.

But if anybody can sympathize with an athlete wanting to take control of his career, regardless of the public pushback, it's Durant.

Davis' desire to be traded was a bombshell, even if it was an expected bombshell. He's arguably the most valuable asset in the NBA given his age (25) and immense talent, and most teams will likely make New Orleans an offer.

Davis is averaging 29.3 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 4.4 APG, 2.6 BPG and 1.7 SPG, arguably making him the league's best two-way player. He's already a six-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA first-team selection and made the 2017-18 All-Defensive first team. 

If the Pelicans wait until the summer to trade Davis, they can get the Boston Celtics and their treasure trove of assets involved in the running. If the Pelicans choose to end the circus this season and deal him ahead of the Feb. 7 trade deadline instead, a number of teams will be in the running, most notably LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers. 

While Davis can't control where he gets traded, he can control where he'd be willing to sign a long-term extension, a factor to be considered in any deal. Teams may be wary of giving up valuable assets for a rental, as Davis can become a free agent after the 2019-20 season.

In other words, he'll have some say in where he lands. It all promises to be fascinating theater, the sort only the NBA and its superstars can offer.