New Orleans Pelicans: Examining the trade market for Anthony Davis

That leaves the Pacers, Knicks, Suns, Mavs, and of course, Boston.

All five of these teams figure to be picking at or close to the top of the lottery next year, or in Boston’s case, one of the next two years by virtue of the Sixers trade before the 2017 Draft. They also all have the requisite young talent on the roster to make a deal work.

Of this group, the Knicks have the best single asset to offer in the form of Kristaps Porzingis, who profiles to peak at something between 80-95 percent of the player Davis is right now. KP plus a high first rounder – let’s say top five – would be tough for the Pelicans to turn down.

The Knicks are unpredictable, but even they would sit this one out. The only way New York would consider this would be if the relationship with their young cornerstone continues to deteriorate, and they begin to worry about the possibility of Porzingis signing his qualifying offer in two years and then becoming an unrestricted free agent he following summer. Things don’t appear to be that bad, at least not yet.

Myles Turner isn’t quite the prospect that Porzingis is, but might be enough to get a deal done.

Unlike the Knicks though, the Pacers have no reason to believe that Turner be won’t in town for the foreseeable future. They also would have serious doubts about their ability to retain Davis when he becomes a free agent in 2020, and don’t have enough to contend between now and then.

Phoenix would have the same concerns about resigning AD long term, and barring Josh Jackson exceeding all expectations, the Suns won’t be able to send back a sure thing in the deal. Devin Booker is not on the table, and New Orleans is not trading Davis for a pu pu platter of former high lottery picks that haven’t yet shown real promise.

Still, Phoenix’s bevy of young guys means they can’t be counted out, and they have a history of being uncertain in their organizational philosophy.