Anthony Davis to leave Pelicans this season
Anthony Davis to leave Pelicans this season, Lakers send Warriors warning, NBA news is coming in thick and fast and Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the very latest.
Anthony Davis has been named an NBA All-Star for five consecutive seasons but he could be about to miss out on reaching the playoffs this year.
That is according to NBA pundit Steve Smith, who reckons New Orleans Pelicans are not one of the top six teams in the Western Conference.
And if they fail to reach the end-of-season shootout then Smith thinks Davis could be traded for the first time in his career.
“I think it goes down to his ownership and what direction they are going in,” Smith told NBA TV.
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“I think if the Pelicans are out of the playoff race when the trade deadline comes then they will have to start listening.
“The body language and also, I think it will be a great year for him, but if you’re not winning, ‘should I stay here?’
“Who am I playing with? I think Jrue Holiday is fantastic, Julius Randle is fantastic but they are not [Rajon] Rondo [of Los Angeles Lakers] and also DeMarcus Cousins [from Golden State Warriors].
“I think the New Orleans Pelicans, if you get the right offer, they might have to start looking at that.”
“I don’t know if there’s a right offer for Anthony Davis because he is such a unique player,” he added.
“We are talking about one of the top three players in the league.
“You are not going to get the right value back so you are better off trying to keep him and seeing if it works out. Hopefully he can attract some players.”
Lakers fire Warriors warning that Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton believes his team are not yet Championship contenders but he thinks they will challenge Golden State Warriors by the end of the year.
“September, probably not. Do I think come April, come playoff months? Absolutely I think we are. It takes time,” he said.
“You never just put a team together and they’re instantly a Championship contender.
“That’s what the regular season is going to be all about this year. That’s what these guys coming in every day, playing together, getting to know each other, lifting weights together, is about.
“I think by the time the season comes and goes and we get towards the playoffs, if all goes the way we plan, then yeah, I truly believe we are.”
