New Orleans Pelicans franchise star Anthony Davis is one of the reasons why the Boston Celtics are always in NBA trade rumors. Many see Davis as the missing piece the Celtics need to return to the championship pedestal. Davis is undoubtedly among the best all-around athletes in the league today. Team him up with the likes of Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum, and Boston will surely be among the few teams favored to dethrone the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference.

What are chances of Davis trade?

At the moment, it is unknown how good the chances are of the Celtics in acquiring Davis.

Indeed they have enticing trade assets, but it is highly likely that New Orleans will hold on to the 24-year-old and continue to build around him. He remains the face of the franchise for the Pelicans, even if they have DeMarcus Cousins as well. If the Celtics' pursuit of Anthony Davis fails, they can turn their attention to a new trade target who is also of All-Star caliber.

The backup plan?

A possible alternate option for the Celtics is Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies. Gasol became a regular topic in NBA trade rumors back in November of 2017. In a game versus the Brooklyn Nets, the Grizzlies fought hard and placed themselves in a position to win. Surprisingly, in the fourth quarter, ex-Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale decided to let Gasol, their best player, sit on the bench for the entirety of the period.

They ended up losing to the Nets, 98-88.

That move by Fizdale made things worse in Memphis. It soon resulted in him getting sacked and, as mentioned, Gasol being the center of numerous NBA trade rumors. Some fans believed that the Celtics were eyeing the 33-year-old, though nothing happened.

Arguably, Anthony Davis is the better choice between the two.

Davis is much more athletic and is capable of playing multiple positions, unlike Gasol who is a traditional center. But if the Celtics cannot take away Davis from the Pelicans, Gasol is a great substitute. He could help improve Boston's frontline which heavily relies on Al Horford, Marcus Morris, and Aron Baynes this season.

Major dilemma

However, if the Celtics forget Anthony Davis and focus on Marc Gasol, and they successfully add the latter, playing time at center will be an issue. Head coach Brad Stevens and his staff must determine who is going to get most of the minutes between him and fellow veteran, Al Horford. They should also choose a starter.
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