NBA trade circus New Orleans Pelicans to sit healthy Davis until deadline passes
THE NEW Orleans Pelicans confirmed that All-Star forward Anthony Davis will not play before Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET trade deadline, keeping him out of Wednesday’s game at Chicago against the Bulls.
Davis, who has requested a trade, has missed the last eight games with an injured left index finger. But that does not seem to be the reason the Pelicans will not be using him Wednesday night.
“He is (available) but we’re not going to play him until after the trade deadline,” Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry said at shootaround Wednesday morning. “I think you can understand that. I think everybody can understand that.”
Davis participated in the shootaround, but now the waiting game begins.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been the most talked-about landing spot for Davis, but ESPN reported Wednesday afternoon that LA’s most recent trade proposal has not garnered a response from the New Orleans front office.
The Pelicans have gone 2-6 without Davis in the lineup. His trade request came last week after he informed the Pelicans he would not sign a contract extension with the team.
“It’s going to eventually get resolved,” Gentry said Wednesday. “But I think the guys we have right now are playing extremely hard. I don’t think we have anything tangible to show for it, but I think we have been very much competitive with guys who have been put in roles that they aren’t accustomed to.” —