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NBA Trade Deadline 2019: Date, Top Rumors Surrounding Star Big Men
February 4, 2019
There are trades to be made in the NBA prior to the February 7 deadline, but there's one player who stands above all other candidates.
Anthony Davis is the kind of player who can raise a franchise by his mere presence. Davis is one of the top five players in the league and he has made it clear that he wants to be traded away from the New Orleans Pelicans because he is not going to resign with them.
What makes his situation truly unusual is that Davis is not in his free-agent year, and that wouldn't actually be the case until the conclusion of the 2020-21 season, per Sportrac. The Pelicans are under no obligation to trade Davis, but when a player does not want to be there, it makes sense to consider all the trade possibilities.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been mentioned as the most likely destination for the 25-year-old Davis, and ESPN's NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that the Lakers have made their first offer for the star big man. That offer includes Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Rajon Rondo, Michael Beasley and a first-round pick, according to Wojnarowski's league sources.
Sports Illustrated followed up on the Wojnarowski information by reporting a New Orleans counter offer. SI tweeted that the Pelicans want a second No. 1 draft pick to make that deal happen.
Since Davis is such an impactful player who would be able to team with LeBron James and potentially turn the Lakers into a major threat in the playoffs, it seems like the counteroffer would be within the realm of possibility.
The 6'10", 253-pound big man is averaging 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. He is also shooting 53.9 percent from the field.
Willie Cauley-Stein of the Sacramento Kings is another big man who could be moved by the trade deadline.
The 7'0", 240-pound Cauley-Stein is averaging 13.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, and while he is not a superstar, he is an intriguing player who should become part of a contending team's rotation.
ESPN reporter Zach Lowe said the Kings are willing to talk about a deal involving Cauley-Stein, who will be a restricted free agent at the end of the year. It's more likely that they will hold on to him, but if the offer is lucrative enough they would consider moving him.
Dewayne Dedmon of the Atlanta Hawks is another big man who could be on the move by the trade deadline. The Philadelphia 76ers have reportedly shown interest in the 29-year-old 7-footer, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com.
Dedmon could be a player who fits in the rotation, as he is averaging 10.3 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.