NBA free agency is set to commence in a few weeks, and, as always, all eyes will be on where the league's biggest stars end up. While Anthony Davis is not yet a free agent, he too is expected to be on the move as early as this week. Now, his agent Rich Paul has come forth to shed some light on his client's future in a new Sports Illustrated cover story.
Paul makes it clear that if Davis gets traded to the Boston Celtics as some have speculated, he won't re-sign with the team after next year. "They can trade for him, but it’ll be for one year,” he said. “I mean: If the Celtics traded for Anthony Davis, we would go there and we would abide by our contractual [obligations] and we would go into free agency in 2020. I’ve stated that to them. But in the event that he decides to walk away and you give away assets? Don’t blame Rich Paul."
Some have criticized Paul, believing that he has been maneuvering for his clients to form dominating alliances, with long-time client LeBron James being the focal point. However, the super-agent insists that moving AD to the Los Angeles Lakers would be beneficial for him, and James would simply be an afterthought in that scenario.
"So now, when you add LeBron, that’s what? The cherry on top. LeBron’s 34 years old. Anthony Davis is 26. So when LeBron’s done playing, the Anthony Davis trade is still rolling. What better place to do it than L.A.? If it was L.A.—I never said 'L.A.' But there’s no negative to that. Who gives a s--- what you’re talking about, about me trying to help LeBron out? No, I’m not. I’m trying to help Anthony Davis. Now, if helping Anthony Davis helps LeBron in the long run? So be it. But my goal is Anthony Davis."
He goes on to discuss AD's possible future with the New York Knicks. "The only difference is, they don’t have as many championships as the Lakers," Paul said. "They got a tradition. It’s a big market—not that it’s only big markets. They have cap space, flexibility, they’re able to absorb more than one star. What’s wrong with that?"
Read Sports Illustrated's Rich Paul cover story here.
