Anthony Davis slipped through the hands of the Boston Celtics, and one young player in particular appeared to be a dealbreaker of sorts.
Marc Stein of the New York Times reported Saturday that the Celtics refused to include forward Jayson Tatum in trade talks with the New Orleans Pelicans for Davis, who was ultimately dealt to the rival Los Angeles Lakers instead.
The Boston Celtics refused to make Jayson Tatum available in trade talks with New Orleans, league sources say, putting the Lakers in prime position to strike the deal that teams Anthony Davis with LeBron James
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 15, 2019
The 21-year-old Tatum, who averaged 15.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore last season, is perhaps the most coveted asset on the Celtics roster. He also cannot hit restricted free agency until summer 2021.
In fairness to Boston, Davis did not seem interested in playing there, so it would make little sense to part with a cost-controlled potential franchise cornerstone (who is five years younger to boot) for a one-year rental.
