The Golden State Warriors have seemingly been linked to every star player in the NBA over the past several years, and they have managed to acquire some of them. With an Anthony Davis trade looking more and more likely be the day, is there a chance the defending champions could once again get themselves involved?
The path for the Warriors to land Davis is extremely complicated and unrealistic, but sources told ESPN’s Zach Lowe that Golden State “would surely be interested” in exploring the possibility. Actually finding a way is another story.
There’s next to no chance that the Warriors would trade Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant as part of a deal for Davis, unless some farfetched situation arises where the latter has no intention of re-signing with Golden State and would be willing to sign a long-term deal with the Pelicans. Klay Thompson, who is also set to become a free agent this summer, could agree to a sign-and-trade that would send him to New Orleans, but there’s no reason to believe he would do that. Simply put, it’s not going to happen.
The only real way the Warriors could entertain the idea of adding Davis is to work out a three-team trade involving Draymond Green, where Golden State gets Davis and a third team gets Green in exchange for sending young talent and/or draft picks to the Pelicans. Even then, there would be a lot of financial gymnastics involved. That scenario also seems like a pipe dream.
In other words, the Warriors are interested in something that has almost no chance of coming to fruition. If Davis ends up staying with the Pelicans through the end of his contract next season, Golden State would have a better opportunity to add him. That would especially be true if the rumblings we have heard about Durant’s mindset are true.
The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers appear best positioned to land Davis in a trade, but sources told Lowe that Davis has given no indication that he is set on playing for either team. If the Pelicans continue to struggle, this story will only grow as the season progresses.
