The Boston Celtics are positioning themselves to make a run at New Orleans Pelicans' All-Star center Anthony Davis, should the Pels decide to shop him. Davis, 25, is signed through the 2019-20 season but if he doesn't sign the five-year, $235 million supermax with New Orleans next summer the team could look to trade him rather than allowing him to walk as a free agent.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Celtics have been "hawking" Davis for years and have a plan to acquire the five-time All-Star should the situation arise.
"Boston has been hawking Anthony Davis for years. They always hoped that it would be—whether it's the end of this season or the beginning of next before the trade deadline—that they would gather up all those assets, all those picks Danny Ainge has, young players, and they'd be the team to be able to get Anthony Davis.
"But now you have L.A., and if they get shut out in free agency, they're going to have to take all their young players to try to use them to get Anthony Davis."
Davis is averaging 28 points, 12.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.7 steals per game, though the Pelicans are currently sitting just below .500 with a 15-16 record.
You can listen to Woj's comments about AD's situation at about the 2:20-mark in the video embedded below.