NBA notebook: Pelicans lobby Davis to stick around

[May 30, 2019]  In what resembled a sales pitch to an available free agent, the New Orleans Pelicans met with Anthony Davis on Wednesday in the hope of convincing him to embrace in the direction the franchise is now headed.

ESPN reported that Davis met with executive vice president David Griffin in Los Angeles on Wednesday morning. Griffin, who was hired in April, is in possession of the No. 1 selection in the NBA draft for the Pelicans, where Duke's Zion Williamson is expected to be selected.

Davis requested a trade in January, and the Los Angeles Lakers were widely speculated as his destination, but the February trade deadline came and went without a deal. Davis, a six-time All Star, played only sparingly after the deadline and didn't appear at all over the final seven games.

Davis has averaged 23.7 points and 10.5 rebounds over his first seven seasons with the New Orleans franchise. He produced averages of 25.9 points and 12 rebounds in 56 games this season, the lowest number of games played in his career.

--Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey wants to rebuild the roster and will even consider trading All-Star point guard Chris Paul, ESPN reported.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the Rockets are being aggressive in the ramp-up to the offseason with conversations surrounding all players on their own roster.

While MVP candidate James Harden is not thought to be available, a blowup between Harden and Paul following the season-ending loss to the Golden State Warriors could contribute to a split this summer. Wojnarowski reported later Wednesday that Clint Capela could be the most coveted player on the roster.

--Jeanie Buss and the Lakers will get it together. At least that's the expectation of NBA commissioner Adam Silver.

"I know Jeanie knows how to manage a team," Silver said in a wide-ranging interview on ESPN's "Get Up." "Sure, when things start to go wrong, a lot of fingers get pointed. But they'll figure it out."

After the Lakers missed the playoffs, team president Magic Johnson resigned abruptly and without consulting Buss because he felt stripped of the power to make meaningful decisions. General manager Rob Pelinka then fired coach Luke Walton -- a move Johnson said he was prevented from making earlier -- but efforts to lure top candidates Monty Williams and Tyronn Lue fell short.

Pelicans forward Anthony Davis looks on from the bench during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

--Kevin Durant resumed light workouts in his recovery from a calf injury, but the Golden State Warriors are not expecting the All-Star forward to be on the court for the first two games of the NBA Finals in Toronto.

Durant's exercise consists of stationary shooting on his own, and coach Steve Kerr said the star forward is not ready for full team workouts or five-on-five play.

Kerr also doesn't know if center DeMarcus Cousins (torn left quadriceps muscle) will be ready for Thursday's Game 1.

--Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby, who underwent an emergency appendectomy April 12, was surprisingly listed as questionable for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

Anunoby has missed Toronto's entire playoff run after taking ill just before the postseason began.

Coach Nick Nurse said Monday he thought Anunoby was about 10 days away from being able to play, a timetable that would have put him in line for a potential return for Game 4 on June 7 against the Warriors in Oakland, Calif.

--The NBA talked to the Raptors during the Eastern Conference finals about the behavior of Drake along the sideline, a league spokesman told ESPN.

Drake holds a role as global ambassador for the Raptors, and the presence of the Canadian superstar rapper has given added attention to the franchise.

He had a confrontation with then-Cleveland center Kendrick Perkins during last season's playoff series against the Cavaliers, and he had a viral video moment in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals when he gave coach Nick Nurse a shoulder rub.

--Field Level Media

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