Los Angeles Lakers: How Dell Demps firing impacts Anthony Davis trade

With the New Orleans Pelicans firing general manager Dell Demps, have the Los Angeles Lakers chances of acquiring Anthony Davis gone down?

The Los Angeles Lakers attempt to acquire Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans has had more fallout over a week since the trade deadline passed. Dell Demps becomes the first casualty in the well-reported Anthony Davis debacle.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the New Orleans Pelicans fired Dell Demps, who was basically the face of the New Orleans Pelicans negotiating team in the Anthony Davis trade saga.

He took a ton of heat from all sides from social media GM’s, the media and more exclusively Anthony Davis and Rich Paul, the head of Klutch Sports. The leaked reports, the offers and the alleged “phone call” will be what Dell Demps will be remembered for.

Sadly for Demps, the final straw was this video of Anthony Davis and Rich Paul leaving the arena after Davis injured his shoulder.

Couple that with the phrase from Alvin Gentry that was heard around the world, “Dumpster fire”.

Due to the tone of Gentry’s voice over the ongoing situation of Anthony Davis, it seems that he wasn’t the only one that was angry. Ownership had some issues as well.

League sources also inform ESPN that the Anthony Davis situation was not executed to Gayle Benson’s liking either.

"Benson has been angry over the Davis trade demand and her belief that “outside forces” are trying to push the franchise into decisions that don’t make sense, league sources said. Her mandate has been to “take back control from outside forces,” one league source told ESPN. Benson has been adamant with the organization about finding a pathway to sustainable winning in one of the league’s smallest markets and plans to be aggressive in pursuing the best available candidates to oversee basketball operations, league sources said."

Those “outside forces” that the Pelicans is trying to take back control from might be Klutch Sports headed by Rich Paul (in the best interest of LeBron James!) and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Lake Show Life was the only blog website to take Lakers fans to the other side of the AD negotiations in New Orleans talking to a Pelicans’ insider.

Now we bring back David Grubb, to help figure out Alvin Gentry’s term of the Pelicans dumpster fire and how the Lakers figure in all of this in the offseason with all of the changes.

In 2013, he joined the team at SportsNOLA.com as a contributor before working his way up to cover the New Orleans Pelicans.

David is currently a featured columnist for CrescentCitySports.com as well as The Bird Writes for SB Nation. He is a regular contributor to “The Bird Calls,” a weekly podcast covering the Pelicans.

Along with being a regular on Sports 1280 AM in New Orleans, he has also been a fill-in host for “The D-League” (Sports 1280 AM) and “Sport-a-facts” (WBOK) and is a regular guest on a number of sports talk shows in the New Orleans area.

Hopefully, this will Lakers fans gain a possible insight because this may be the most toxic trade scenario in NBA history!

How did all of this come together?

Dell Demps was fired just before the All-Star festivities. You were at the game on Thursday night when the drama went down. Two part question here.

First question: Did Anthony Davis go passive-aggressive, in your opinion, leaving early to get his MRI and not staying?

David Grubb:

"I don’t think passive aggressive is the word. He was cowardly. Flat out. To abandon the team in the third quarter without notifying the head coach is highly unprofessional and hypocritical for someone who continues to state that he wants to play the rest of the season. How can he be trusted in the locker room at this point, either in words or effort. It’s sad that AD is destroying his reputation in the city of New Orleans. I think he’s going to regret how he handled this in the long-term. This was the nadir for him as a Pelican."

Follow up question: Did Alvin Gentry’s “Dumpster Fire” comment do Dell Demps in?

David Grubb: 

"Demps had multiple reset buttons pressed for him during his tenure. He got his first when the Pelicans squeaked into the playoffs in 2015. He was on thin ice in 2017 until he pulled off the Cousins trade. During the slow start last season, there were grumblings that he was on his was out, but the Pelicans advanced to the second round. Based on what I know from talking to people closer to the decision, Demps was essentially done before Davis’ trade request. My belief is that the Pelicans didn’t pull the trigger then because of the appearance that the organization was in chaos. The Friday of the All-Star break was perfect timing for the Pels, because they didn’t have to hold a press conference and answer questions. Now the Pelicans have time to conduct a thorough search and get out ahead of other teams who may make changes in leadership this offseason."

Which leads to the next question for Lakers fans.

How close were the Lakers to landing Davis?

Even though the Anthony Davis trade did not go through, many thought the Lakers would nab Davis. Was it even close?

David Grubb:

"It was never close. The Pelicans had no intention of trading Davis prior to the deadline. Honestly, why would they? The idea that Davis was going to reject the super max extension wasn’t that foreign to people who have been around the team for years. But red flags popped up the moment Davis’ trade demand became public. It was clear that Klutch had orchestrated the timing to force a trade to the Lakers and only the Lakers prior to the deadline. Mickey Loomis, the GM of the Saints and VP of Basketball Operations for the Pelicans, brought the mentality of his football negotiations to the table and refused to be forced to part with an “asset” under duress. So in that sense, there was no chance of a deal getting done."

The fact that the GM of the NFL Saints is running the Basketball Operations probably be addressed in the next GM hire going forward.

Right now, the interim GM will be former Cleveland and Atlanta GM Danny Ferry. He has a LeBron James relationship as well. He was the GM during LeBron’s first tenure in Cleveland. The question now, is, was this an issue with Davis and the future of the franchise?

Sam Amick of The Athletic on Anthony Davis’ rumored feelings…  

"“the idea that the Pelicans were less of a priority to ownership than the Saints has been a growing concern.”"

Only to be refuted quite strongly by Alvin Gentry.

"“That’s the furthest thing from the truth, and if you don’t believe me, I’ll take all you guys to the practice facility, and you go visit any other one in the NBA, and you tell me that it’s not as good as any other place in the NBA,” Gentry said after Wednesday’s game. “To say that (the Pelicans are second-class citizens) is really disrespectful.” “All this stuff to me, to be honest, it really pisses me off. … ’Cause you should ask us if we feel like second-class citizens, and I can tell you right now that’s the furthest thing from the truth. There’s nothing that we ask for or want that Mrs. (Benson) won’t give us to try and help us win games."

Based on the events on Thursday, the disconnect between Anthony Davis and Alvin Gentry is a possible issue. For the NBA and how things have been handled, Commissioner Adam Silver weighed in.

"“I would just say, blanketedly, no, I don’t like trade demands,” Silver told the press. “I wish they didn’t come, and I wish all those matters were handled behind closed doors.”"

Maybe with the next negotiations and the fact that Magic Johnson dismissed questions about Kemba Walker, the offseason negotiations will be just that, behind closed doors.

Did the Pelicans negotiate in good faith?

Did the Pelicans try to embarrass the Lakers out of spite?

David Grubb:

"I don’t believe spite is the correct term. This was fire meeting fire. The Pelicans were insulted by the public nature of the negotiations and the low ball offer that the Lakers started with. Look at the package that the Clippers got for Tobias Harris (three players, two first-rounders, and two second-rounders), and compare that to what Los Angeles offered initially. There was a feeling that the Lakers were trying to bully the Pelicans in conjunction with Rich Paul. So, the Pelicans used the leverage that they had, which is time."

Real Lakers fans should not be surprised by the deal the Clippers got before the trade deadline. The executive running the shop across the hall is Jerry West. Lake Show Life featured him being a factor before the season even started.

Los Angeles Lakers suffering from the Jerry West effect?

The Los Angeles Lakers got LeBron James this offseason! What's next? Reports are going around that some free agents want to play for the Clippers...Why?

Let’s be clear here, it was no secret that Dell Demps was standing on thin ice with a heating lamp on directly above him. The Pelicans had absolutely no confidence in Demps making a deal of this magnitude, especially if he has to report to a football executive.

Plus, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was very blunt in what was going on around the league about what other influences that were factors.

According to ESPN, league sources believe…

"The Pelicans are eager to conduct a search that will attract a top basketball executive who will take on a more prominent role in the franchise. Benson is promising to pursue a top-level GM to revitalize a franchise that’s coming to a crossroads with the Davis trade."

Look for former Cleveland Cavaliers GM David Griffin to be a front-runner. LeBron James should know him, he was the executive that built the Cavaliers 2016 championship team.

Speaking of LeBron…

How much does LeBron James impact trade talks?

How true is the narrative is LeBron James was power brokering the trade?

David Grubb:

"Again, speculation on that is rampant. Of course the NBA has reviewed LeBron’s relationship with Klutch Sports and found no impropriety there. However, more than a couple of people feel that Davis was specifically targeted by Klutch to pair with LeBron and the Lakers’ underperforming coupled with James’ injury sped up the timetable. It doesn’t bother fans or observers that Davis wants to leave New Orleans or that he wants to play in Los Angeles. The Pelicans have fundamentally failed at building a winning team around him. That doesn’t mean that people can’t see a situation being manipulated for the benefit of one person more than others. Davis and Klutch essentially destroyed this season for the Pelicans, because no one believes this decision was made when it was announced. LeBron will have to have some of that on his shoulders, whether it’s true or not."

David is being very kind here. Let me keep this real, the narrative of the “power broker” will probably be addressed to the point that will be emphasized in the next collective bargaining agreement. This was messy and it left a bitter taste in many executives and owners mouths.

Rich Paul is an outstanding owner of the most powerful NBA agency who he will potentially build a  billion-dollar business on the shoulders of LeBron James. James is already building an empire of his own, already talking about owning his own NBA team someday.

He will never be the greatest of all time, in my book, as a basketball player, but he will be the most powerful. There is not a player that comes close to James that exudes influence as an active player. Not even Michael Jordan. LeBron James’ mastery of social media is a perfect tool to his innuendos and passive-aggressive tactics.

Look at how he deals with coaches he doesn’t like.

His agenda has already been questioned about why he wanted to come to the Lakers in the first place, basketball or business.

Lakers News: LeBron James is rapidly becoming L.A.Bron James!

In a couple of years LeBron James TV will be in effect. The NBA will be watching the LeBron Show on the court. Ronald Agers talks about off the court.

This “business” move no matter who is at the controls brokering this deal has its potential consequences.

Does this change the way the Lakers are seen by the NBA in ways of future trades?

David Grubb:

"I think the Lakers have damaged themselves and their brand to people who maybe were indifferent before. I spoke with an NBA assistant coach last week and he told me that players asking for trades during a season isn’t new, but the way this all went down was unusual. Ultimately, I think there will be ramifications across the league after this that impact more than just the Lakers, but with two tampering charges and the stain of this episode still fresh in people’s minds, LA will be the poster child for whatever this all means for the foreseeable future."

I don’t know what it is about these two franchises and trades. David and I talked about the Chris Paul situation and the possible similarities. It was a topic of discussion for all media outlets.

But here’s the backstory.

Chris Paul was to traded to the Lakers in a three-team deal. That got vetoed by then-commissioner, David Stern, who called Demps in an interview with Chris Ballard a lousy GM. 

"There was a trade that [New Orleans GM] Dell Demps wanted us to approve and I said heck no, but he had told [Rockets GM] Daryl Morey and [then Lakers GM] Mitch Kupchak he had authority to do it and he didn’t. I said no. We just settled a lockout and you want me to approve a basketball trade?” “[Demps] had agreed to trade Kevin Martin and Luis Scola or something, and I said we can do better than that…. And the next trade was [to the Clippers for] Eric Gordon and Al-Farouq Aminu and what we thought was a really great draft pick, the 10th pick, which turned out to be Austin Rivers. At least those three and someone else [center Chris Kaman]. But Dell Demps is a lousy general manager and none of those players are currently with the team anymore, and he may lose Anthony Davis.” Stern continues: “I did it because I was protecting the then Hornets…. To this day everyone always asks me, ‘Well why did you keep Chris Paul from going to the Lakers?’ I didn’t keep him. I didn’t approve the trade. No team sells or trades a future Hall of Famer without the owner signing off, and I was the owner’s rep. But I wasn’t going to hand up Dell Demps.”"

With all of the tampering scenarios surrounding the Lakers negotiating with a GM with a less than sterling reputation, this will be in the minds of a lot of NBA powers going forward.

Enough about Dell Demps. Let’s talk about the face of the Lakers front office.

 How bad does Magic Johnson look in this scenario?

David Grubb:

"Magic is hurting himself pretty badly. The Ben Simmons incident over the weekend just added fuel to the fire. As an outsider, and someone who has been a Laker fan since the 80’s, it looks like Magic bit off more than he could chew with this job. My opinion is that Magic sold the Lakers’ soul to LeBron James out of desperation, and now he can hear the clock ticking. Desperation rarely leads to strategic decision-making. His trustworthiness is in question from his current players and from everyone around the NBA. I never thought I’d write that about Magic Johnson. Never."

Lake Show Life already did.

Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James showing desperation for Anthony Davis

The Los Angeles Lakers are all in trying to get Anthony Davis by the trade deadline. The pursuit of Anthony Davis shows the desperation of Laker Land.

For the record, Magic Johnson was cleared of tampering with the Ben Simmons situation. Sixers GM, Elton Brand, apologized for the confusion that was caused. But that still doesn’t take away the damage to the Pelicans and the Lakers.

The Lakers young core have been wildly inconsistent since all of this started. A 42 point loss to the Pacers without their superstar, Victor Oladipo. A blowout on national TV to the Sixers. To top all that off, a horrible loss to the Hawks.

All of this is showing two franchises in need of leadership. How bad is it for the Lakers? Mitch Kupchak mentioned the decline with Dr. Jerry Buss’ death with Bill Oram of The Athletic.

"In the four years after Dr. Jerry Buss died in 2013, the Lakers had made the playoffs just once, and the organization was splintered at the top. Dr. Buss’ wishes of having Jim run basketball and Jeanie be in charge of business were not working. The siblings did not speak. Jeanie did not trust Jim to make the right decisions. And Kupchak was caught in the middle. “I think everybody knows, when Dr. Buss passed away, everything changed,” Kupchak said. “And, quite frankly, the further away we got from his passing, the worse it got.”"

With Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov deals aside, it’s hard to ignore Kupchak’s assessment. The Lakers front office has a lot of work to do to build the trust not only of the roster now but the NBA teams going forward.

Will The Pelicans even deal with the Lakers this offseason?

David Grubb:

"I don’t think anything is ever off the table. The Lakers still have an opportunity to improve their offer. Ultimately, the Pelicans have to make the deal that gives them the best opportunity to compete quickly. I don’t think that they would completely ignore LA again if they can put together a truly competitive offer. But the Pelicans won’t play around either. If LA really wants Davis to start next season as a Laker, then Magic and Rob Pelinka have to open with their best offer. This isn’t a negotiation as much as it is an auction for the Pelicans."

There you have it. The Lakers do have a chance to push their chips in for Anthony Davis in the offseason. I think it will be difficult with teams making bids (Boston, New York, Clippers) having more to offer than the Lakers, but anything is possible. Keep it locked to Lake Show Life for more information going forward.

The Los Angeles Lakers are now past the halfway point in their long journey through the NBA season. Lake Show Life will be there every step of the way. Continue to check in for Lakers news, previews and reviews.