NBA Trade Rumors Roundup, January 18th: Anthony Davis decision, Kyrie Irving and more
We have now passed the halfway point of the 2018/19 NBA season, and teams are starting to get a good idea about where they currently stand. Up until this point, both Conferences have remained competitive, with eleven teams in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference, whereas every team except the Phoenix Suns has a shot in the West.
The February trade deadline is also quickly approaching, as the NBA has made changes to the deadline so that it will now always occur 10 days before the All-Star game. This has been done so that players who get traded have time to settle into their new teams, and this year's trade window will close on February 7th.
So with the deadline just a month away, here are the biggest trade rumors you need to know for January 18th.
Kyrie Irving linked with a move to the Los Angeles Lakers
Earlier this week, the Boston Celtics pulled off a surprise win against the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Raptors. Entering the game, the Celtics had suffered three defeats in a row, however, Kyrie Irving scored 27 points and added 18 assists as the Celtics came away with a 117-108 win.
On a recent edition of ESPN's 'First Take', Stephen A. Smith was discussing Irving's performances, and Smith revealed that sources were telling him that the Celtics man could be set for a surprise summer move to the Lakers:
I got a text from an unnamed source that said 'wow, I guess that makes it a bit easier for him to come to LA now'
Irving previously linked up with LeBron James in Cleveland, although the point guard requested a trade in 2017 due to his desire to lead his own team. So far this season Irving is averaging 22.8 points, 6.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game, and the 26-year-old has a player option on his contract this summer.