The Lakers and Pelicans agreed to a trade for Anthony Davis Saturday, sending Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and three first round picks, including the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft to New Orleans.
The Celtics were considered major players in those trade discussions, but after the deal was announced, Marc Stein reported that the Celtics refused to include Jayson Tatum in trade negotiations with the Pelicans.
Davis' interest in playing in Boston long term was always questionable. Rich Paul, who represents Davis, said in an interview with Sports Illustrated that if the Celtics traded for him, it would only be for one year before he presumably left in free agency next summer.
Couple that with the eroding belief in Kyrie Irving re-signing with the Celtics, sending Tatum to the Pelicans was too big a risk for Danny Ainge and the Celtics' brass.
More to come...
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.