NBA Trade Rumors: Anthony Davis To Warriors, Klay Thompson And Draymond Green To Pelicans

NBA trade rumors involving New Orleans Pelicans superstar power forward Anthony Davis began to heat up as the 2016-17 season got underway. Davis is said to be frustrated that the Pelicans continue to lose despite his exceptional productivity. Sportsrageous reports that the Golden State Warriors are a likely destination for Anthony Davis if he is dealt by New Orleans.

Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson was mentioned in some NBA trade rumors a few weeks back, specifically those that had him going to the Boston Celtics. Those rumors were shot down by the team, but according to Yibada, that didn’t close the door on the possibility that Thompson could be shipped out by Golden State.

“So while this Celtics situation appears to be nothing more than a rumor, teams will most certainly come calling for Thompson between now and when the trade buzzer bell finally rings,” said Sam Amick of USA Today.

ESPN details the myriad of problems the Warriors have had with power forward Draymond Green, leading to his name being bandied about in the rumor mill as a possible trade chip for Golden State. There is certainly a buzz around Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green in terms of their potential to be dealt, and if the latest NBA trade rumors have any validity to them, these three stars could all be part of the same deal.

The trade scenario presently making its way around the internet goes as follows: The Warriors would receive Anthony Davis and point guard Langston Galloway. The Pelicans would obtain a package that includes Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Golden State’s first-round draft pick in 2017. The ESPN NBA Trade Machine says this would be a legal trade, but how practical is this hypothetical transaction?

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It’s interesting that despite their league-leading 25-4 record, the Golden State Warriors just can’t seem to stay out of the rumor mill. Yes, they are probably getting calls from other teams trying to trade for Klay Thompson, and yes, Draymond Green has been a headache for head coach Steve Kerr and the team’s management. However, the “super team” experiment has been mostly successful thus far, and it is doubtful that the Warriors would make any significant moves right now. Would the chance to acquire a superstar such as Anthony Davis be the one exception to that stance?

If this theoretical trade was made, it could be argued that Golden State would not be a better team as a result. Draymond Green is not on the same level as Anthony Davis, but Green may be a better fit with the team — adding Davis would give the Warriors yet another player who needs the ball, which might be a case of “too many cooks in the kitchen.” In addition, trading Klay Thompson would leave a gaping hole at shooting guard, so this rumored trade proposal makes little sense for Golden State.

The New Orleans Pelicans would only be tempted by a deal like this if they were in a position where they had to trade Anthony Davis. If Davis becomes so disenchanted with the Pelicans that he requests a trade or begins to have serious attitude problems, an offer like this would begin to look pretty good. As things stand now, New Orleans will not unload Davis unless they get backed into a corner. Davis is far and away the Pelicans’ best player (and one of the very best in the NBA), so the team will try to build around their only marketable asset rather than use him as trade bait.

Current NBA trade rumors are suggesting that a blockbuster deal between the Golden State Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans could be under consideration. The Warriors are not going to break up their core, not even for a chance to bring in Anthony Davis. The Pelicans see Davis as “the franchise,” and they aren’t going to let him go unless that is the only option they have left.

[Featured Image by Max Becherer/AP Images]