Perhaps Magic Johnson’s statement on the Pelicans not being willing to deal in good faith remains true. At least according to a couple of NBA insiders.
While the Lakers may have hoped that a new general manager and some months away would be able to clear the air, it appears the Pelicans directive remains that they don’t want to send Davis to the Lakers.
Here’s what The Undefeated’s Marc Spears said about the Pelicans willingness to deal with the Lakers, as transcribed by NBC’s Dan Feldman.
I have been told that there’s no way Anthony Davis is coming here, through the Pelicans.
They’re just not going to do it.
Feldman also said that longtime NBA reporter Mike Wilbon said that he’s heard similar things. The obvious caveats with NBA news exist here: teams say they will do things and then do another, with the future being impossible to predict.
But as it stands right now, the Pelicans remain steadfast in their unwillingness to deal with L.A. And that seems even more significant now that they don’t even really have a general manager.
Although teams project organized power structures, if Pelicans owner Gayle Benson delivers a directive not to deal with the Lakers, whoever takes over as general manager won’t be able to say no.
This, if it holds, is potentially devastating news for the Lakers free agent plans and they’ll suddenly have to look a couple of tiers below superstars to improve their team into next season.
