Every Post-Deadline Anthony Davis Trade Outcome

It’s over. It’s finally over.

The trade deadline has come and gone. A rain of Woj bombs has left the NBA earth scorched and changed forever. Big moves were made across the league, but the biggest move is probably the one that didn’t happen.

A blockbuster Anthony Davis trade to the Lakers never happened, and this saga is on hold until the summer. Until then, here’s every possible outcome for every team that’s been linked to the Brow at this point. Try to keep up.

AD to LA:

There’s a Tyson versus Holyfield fight in the NBA right now between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics. The World Heavyweight title up for grabs is Anthony Davis, and every high-end draft pick and up-and-coming player being bartered to the Pelicans is a right hook to the other team.

Magic Johnson and GM Rob Pelinka are desperate to pair Anthony Davis with LeBron James, and for good reason. Making the deal is a one-way trip to the top of the NBA; not making it is a possible anvil to years of mediocrity.

There are a few ways this plays out for the Lakers:

Scenario 1—It never seemed like the Lakers had a legitimate shot to nab Anthony Davis before the trade deadline. Even though they basically offered half of the Staples Center, Davis remains a Pelican at least until the summer, where the Celtics and other teams will finally be able to join the conversations.

It’s possible Boston never offers the package the Pelicans have been hoping for, which is likely Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, another role player, a combination of picks, and salary cap relief by taking Solomon Hill’s contract. Celtic’s GM Danny Ainge is known for being ruthless when dealing with other teams. Trying that same tactic with the Pel’s could make them turn away from the Boston and towards the Lakers.

Landing AD would propel LA in every way, including a trip to the Western Conference Finals.

Scenario 2—New Orleans seems smitten with what the Celtic’s can give for Davis, and if Ainge obliges, it’s hard to see them rejecting a deal.

If Davis is sent to the Celtic’s, Lakers fans can wait until AD’s rental period runs out and sign him in the summer of 2020. Wasting another year of LAbron to get the Brow in Los Angeles isn’t ideal, but it gets him there, which is still a huge win.

At no point had Davis seemed interested in the Celtic’s, and that is the biggest thing helping the Lakers right now.

Scenario 3—The absolute worst case scenario is simple: the Lakers never see Davis in purple and gold.

Instead, he gets moved to the Celtic’s. The move is enough to get Kyrie Irving to stay, and AD falls in love with the clam chowder and lobster in Boston on the way to the NBA Finals and a promise for more of the same in the future.

Davis’ father has let his feelings about the Celtics well known, and it’s hard to envision his son doesn’t share the same sentiments, but Los Angeles can’t bank on that. Opinions change, and anything can happen once you get a player in the building.

LA should be terrified of being left out in the cold, waiting a year and a half with nothing to show for it except wasting what could be LeBron’s twilight years.

-Scenario 4– The only thing that could save the Lakers from a possible worst-case scenario is, ironically, the player making things difficult for the Celtics: Kyrie Irving. Missing Davis, but managing to pluck Kyrie from the Celtics, could make all this worth it.

Scenario 5–Imagine if the Lakers could somehow grab Davis and Irving. Shedding the Solomon Hill contract that would have to come along with Davis in the trade could prove difficult, but not impossible. It’s a pipe dream, but LA is a city of dreams. And while many dreams collapse under the pressure, some are able manifest into realities. Imagine the first home game in the Staples Center if those three are in on the same lineup.

Boston and the Brow:

Boston is intent on getting Anthony Davis even though every rumor coming from his camp says he doesn’t plan on staying long term. A sign of a good franchise is unwavering self-confidence, and there’s not a doubt in Ainge’s mind that he can get Davis to stay once he's in a green jersey, and it looks like he’ll pull out all the stops to do so.

This can play out many different ways for the Celtics:

Scenario 1—The Pelicans have their eyes locked on the treasures they can get from the Celtics. So much so that they’re willing to charge the Lakers exorbitant prices to make them pull the trigger early. Dell Demps wanted to wait for the Celtics and their war chest filled with assets, and Danny Ainge is reassuring Del will be compensated for his patience.

If the Pel’s liked the Lakers’ young talent more than the Celtics’ then AD would already be a Laker. But that’s not the case, and the Celtic’s seem to have some leverage without even being able to make a deal.

Come July, the Celtics will finally be able to present the offer the Pelicans have been dreaming of. The next step will be convincing Davis to stay in Boston for the long haul, pairing him with Kyrie Irving, and being an immediate favorite to win a title.

Scenario 2– Boston’s worst case scenario is absolutely worse than the Lakers’. If the Celtics make the trade for AD, sending the Pelicans its best assets, and can’t convince him to stay, it’ll be a franchise devastating lost.

Kyrie’s decision could lessen the blow a bit, but not by much. Losing its entire young core and bevy of picks could set the franchise back years. It’s a risk Ainge is willing to take, and one he should be extremely cautious about.

Scenario 3—This scenario for Boston is basically scenario two under the Lakers section. The big difference is the Lakers have much more to lose on completely missing out on Davis than the Celtics do.

Very little changes if the Celtics can't make the initial deal. They still have an abundance of picks and a great young core mixed with some valuable vets on a playoff contending team. Kyrie remains the team’s biggest enigma.

Missing AD likely means he made it to the Lakers, and Kyrie could follow suit. Losing both could hurt, but the Celtics can easily bounce back with Tatum and Brown running the team.

Scenario 4—Or, with AD in LA and the drama finally over, Kyrie stays and tries to grow with his young teammates.

The C’s add more pieces by making a few moves, probably by trade with some of the picks or pieces on the roster, and try to make every run to the Finals. LeBron and AD’s Lakers would battle Kyrie and Tatum’s Celtic’s for the next few years, reigniting the league’s most historic rivalry on the court for the first time since 2010.

“I Have Nothing To Say About That”:

That’s what Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo had to say after being asked how he felt having his team viewed as a long-term option for Davis. Giannis was obviously trying to sidestep any tampering fines with his answer, but we all know he wants Davis in a Bucks uniform.

Any starting lineup containing Giannis and Davis is scary. Thankfully for other teams, it doesn’t seem likely to happen. A lack of cap space and appealing assets make trading for him nearly impossible. There’s not a package the Bucks can even dream of to make the Pel’s choose them over the Celtics or Lakers.

The Bucks only shot is hoping Davis lands on any team that Lebron isn’t on and decides not to stay. Then, after making some cap space, they’ll have to convince AD he’d rather spend his next few years in Milwaukee than Los Angeles.

Giannis has made that idea more appealing than it’s ever been, but it’s still a tough sell when LeBron and LA are on the horizon.

Wrong LA:

This section was ompletely different 48 hours ago.

Then, the Clippers lacked cap space, players, and picks to find itself in the AD race. It seemed beyond unlikely they could make a play for AD, But overnight they made a blockbuster trade with the Sixers and instantly became a contender for Davis’ services.

Now with enough cap space, and with a new cache of picks and rising trade pieces like Shia Gilgeous-Alexander and Landry Shamet, the Clippers are now major players at landing AD in the offseason, if they choose. Whether trade for Davis or not, the Clippers are setting up to sign two max players. Succeeding means the rebuild worked in record time. Failing leaves them in a state of despair.

A Dark Horse:

(Photo by USA TODAY Sports) — (Photo by *USA TODAY Sport*s)

Don’t blink, but the Nuggets are only half a game behind the Warriors in the West. Nikola Jocic is quietly becoming one of the league’s best big men, earning some MVP whispers in the process.

Behind him is a deep Denver roster filled with young, budding talents (Jamal Murray, Gary Harris, and Juan Hernangomez), proven veterans (Isaiah Thomas, Paul Millsap, and Will Barton), and a former top-15 draft pick who many think slipped too far (Michael Porter Jr.). A combination of these pieces (without Jocic) and some draft picks could be a tempting deal for the Pels.

The Ringer’s Jonathan Tjarks wrote in detail why the Nuggets could be a viable trade partner for AD. It remains to be seen if New Orleans likes what it sees from Denver, and if Denver would be willing to deplete their solid depth for one player. Maybe the Nuggets will push the envelope a little more in the offseason.

NY State of Mind:

Any chance the New York Knicks had to swipe AD from the Celtics or Lakers before the deadline went out the window when the team traded disgruntled Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks. But even with KP, a deal sending Davis to New York seemed unlikely when Porzingis said he wouldn’t be interested in signing long-term with the Pelicans or the Knicks, which prompted the trade to Dallas.

Now, the only trade capital the Knicks own is their own draft pick, but even that may be off the table now. The plan has changed for the Knickerbockers-- they want to chase a trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Duke sensation Zion Williamson. It’s a big dream, but what else do you expect from New York? This new game plan doesn’t include Davis at all. But if it works, and that's a big if, the Knicks would be in a much better position.

Staying in the Nest:

Scenario 1—I’m talking crazy at this point, but let’s just entertain it.

Is it possible that AD has a change of heart? That his new agent, Rich Paul, and LeBron have been making Davis do something he doesn’t want to do? That he finds the error in his ways and decides to stay with the franchise that drafted him? That the Pel’s actually believe keeping Davis on the bench for the rest of the season and watching them lose will make him feel guilty, inspiring him to throw on his cape and save the team by signing an extension?

Shaq thinks he should stay. You shouldn’t believe any of it. Davis being traded is a guarantee and the Pel’s land softly from their fall from grace on a bed of picks and players. Whether they turn that new start to success is too much to discuss here.

Scenario 2–… Okay, but what if AD stays, and then somehow gets LeBron to come to New Orleans instead? Then they attract another star and—That felt weird writing; I’ve gone too far.