Celtics rumor notebook: Anthony Davis bidding begins, Marcus Morris suitors line up

The Anthony Davis bidding has officially begun according to Shams Charania of Stadium, who reported on Tuesday that the Pelicans are now officially listening to offers about their All-Star big man in the wake of a meeting between the two sides last week. Charania reports that Davis’ preferred destinations remain consistent (Knicks, Lakers, Clippers, Bucks) but the Celtics remain one of the top potential suitors for the big man despite concerns about his willingness to stay over the long-term.

While new Pelicans president David Griffin has postured about the hope of convincing Davis to stay in New Orleans after landing the right to draft Zion Williamson, it’s no surprise that the bidding is getting going more ahead of a potential decision day on June 20th (draft night). The risk of keeping Davis as the season begins would be far too high for New Orleans to justify and it’s likely that they will get their best offers (including draft compensation) on draft night. If they want to handpick some of their next young pieces, getting the deal done then (in principle) serves everyone.

For a team like the Celtics, it will take plenty of additional maneuvering to complete a trade under salary cap parameters, so it’s highly likely that any deal-making will take weeks to iron out the details. Whether the Celtics put enough on the table to outbid the likes of the Lakers, Clippers or another wildcard team remains to be seen, but they will be firmly in the mix in the meantime.

Celtics want Marcus Morris back but should face heavy competition

While it comes as no surprise that the Celtics would be open to a Marcus Morris return in green next season, Charania also reports that the power forward will have suitors this summer that include the Kings, Bulls, Lakers, Knicks and Clippers.

The Celtics maintain Bird Rights on Morris heading into free agency, so they will be able to offer him any amount up to the max in order to retain him, as well as an extra potential year (five) compared to others. However, a five-year deal for a 30-year-old seems highly unlikely from Boston and shouldn’t be necessary in order to keep him.

While all the teams on this list of suitors will have significant cap room, the expectation is that the bigger markets (LA, New York) will have their sights set on max free agents before turning their attention to a guy like Morris. If they land a star, they probably won’t have enough left over to make a competitive offer to the veteran sharpshooter.

We will take a closer look at what Morris’ expected price range will be at BSJ in the coming days but a team will Sacramento will be worth keeping an eye on. While the Bulls aren’t expected to be competitive next year (borderline playoff team at best), the Kings look like a young core on the rise with a needed for versatility at the power forward spot. Given the lack of top-tier targets they will have, a competitive offer from Sacramento would not come as a major surprise this summer. Whether or not the C’s are willing to come close to it will largely be dependent on what type of team they hope to field this summer. Some clarity on the Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis situations will provide a clue on that front in the coming weeks.