Trade talks between the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans appear to be off for now.
Based upon the latest report from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, talks between the two teams with regard to a trade for Anthony Davis have become dormant. The trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday afternoon.
Nearly 3 hours away from the NBA's trade deadline and ... the Lakers-Pelicans talks on Anthony Davis are dormant, league sources tell ESPN. No communication, nor an expectation that they'll even speak today. Pelicans seem content to run out the clock.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 7, 2019
This follows up on an earlier report from Wojnarowski that the Pelicans hadn't even responded to the Lakers' latest proposal. This came just one day after the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly "pulled out" of any more conversations in trying to acquire New Orleans All-Star Anthony Davis because of the Pelicans' "outrageous" trade requests, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Lakers and Pelicans had been engaged in trade talks since Davis - through his representation - made his desire to be traded - and specifically to be traded to the Lakers - known last week.
From the Los Angeles Times:
"Magic Johnson, the Lakers president of basketball operations, told New Orleans general manager Dell Demps Tuesday morning that Los Angeles had made its best offer that the Pelicans had wanted, but that the Lakers were not willing to add anything else and would be moving on, a person said.
The Lakers were not going to give the Pelicans the six to eight draft picks they wanted for Davis, the person said, knowing that the four first-round picks and second-round picks were more than the Lakers would offer.
Late Monday night, the Lakers changed their offer at the request of the Pelicans, two people said."
The Lakers had essentially made their entire team - outside of LeBron James - available in trade talks with the Pelicans but grew frustrated with the process itself as additional requests by Dell Demps and the rest of New Orleans' front office continued to pour in after Los Angeles made their best offer.
"They wanted more and more and more," an anonymous NBA source said of the Pelicans, via the Los Angeles Times. "There was no more to give. They had cap-relief with Hill being in the deal. But the more they wanted the more it because outrageous and unrealistic."
The Lakers had been willing to re-engage in talks but were awaiting a counter-proposal from the Pelicans, according to Wojnarowski.
Considering the latest update in this saga, it's looking more and more as if Davis won't be moved before the trade deadline.
