Anthony Davis happy with Pelicans: I don't pay attention to trade rumors

The New Orleans Pelicans would be absolutely silly to trade the best big man in the league with four more years of team control on his contract.

And yet, scant whispers swirled out of the NBA's foremost rumor-mongering capital that the Boston Celtics were plotting on a trade package for Anthony Davis should he eventually hit the market.

Davis ran the chatter by Pelicans management, who flatly denied any trade talks with Boston or any other club.

"I understand it's a business, but if I don't hear anything from Dell or my agent, I don't pay attention to it," Davis told William Guillroy of NOLA.com.

"Once I first heard (the rumors), then I heard it again, then I heard it again, I just wanted to make sure. I found out it wasn't (true), and that was the beginning of the summer, so I haven't paid attention to it since."

The main argument for dealing Davis would be if the Pelicans want to kick-start a rebuild. Swapping out Davis for future picks and young prospects would allow for New Orleans to start fresh with a new roster. Owing to injuries and poor roster construction, the Pelicans have only made the playoffs once in Davis' five-year career.

But it's clear the Pelicans intend to contend with the superstar they have, not to rebuild and gamble on a scant chance at the next star. Davis averaged 28 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks on 50.5 percent shooting last season as a 24-year-old, and he forms one half of the most talented frontcourt in the league along with DeMarcus Cousins. The Pelicans also lavished Jrue Holiday with a $125-million contract this summer. It's clear what their intentions are.

The equation may change if Davis were unhappy and demanded a trade, but he's never said anything of the sort, and reiterated this week that he is happy with his current situation.

"I am happy here as a Pelican," Davis said. "I am happy here."