It’s over.
Which really means it can begin later, with an evened playing field.
The trade deadline will come and go without Anthony Davis changing jerseys, various outlets reported Thursday. The Lakers cannot be happy, Davis, who requested a deal, cannot be happy, but Boston, chocked full of assets, will be in the running for a superstar this offseason.
The long-held belief was Davis would wind up alongside LeBron James in Los Angeles, at the very latest when he becomes a free agent in 2020. But that timeline was sped up by Davis telling the Pelicans on Jan. 28 he would not sign long term and a trade would make the most sense for the team and himself. The fact his agent is Rich Paul, LeBron James’ agent and close friend, made the request and Lakers link-up seem inevitable.
The Celtics, who crave the superstar who can put them over the top, were in the awkward position of rooting for status quo. They could not trade for Davis unless Kyrie Irving were in the deal because of an obscure rule that bars a team from having multiple players on its roster who are on rookie contracts with max extensions. So Boston has had to sit out this round of Davis intrigue, hoping July 1 would come, Irving’s rookie contract would be no more, and a deal could be completed.
The Lakers struck out. Instead, Magic Johnson & Co. acquired big man Mike Muscala from the Clippers in exchange for Michael Beasley and Ivica Zubac, ESPN reported, and may open up a spot for Carmelo Anthony.
If the Lakers want to try again to cash in Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma, along with plenty of draft picks, they will have to wait until the offseason.