NBA Trade Rumors: Top Reports Surrounding 2019 All-Star Weekend

The Anthony Davis trade saga took another turn Friday as the NBA's biggest stars converged on Charlotte, North Carolina, for the 2019 NBA All-Star Game.

New Orleans fired general manager Dell Demps, who oversaw the messy situation before the trade deadline that involved Davis' trade demands and an attempt by the Los Angeles Lakers to make a deal for the All-Star forward.

Since the deal wasn't completed, speculation will continue to swirl about where the 25-year-old will play his basketball next season.

As for the trades that were completed before the trade deadline, more details are beginning to come out regarding the negotiations for some of the deadline's highest-profile movers.

Pelicans Ownership Upset Over Trade Demand

The Pelicans dominated the NBA news cycle Friday, with Demps being relieved of his duties, as ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowsk reported.

The biggest challenge for the new general manager is to navigate the trade waters during the summer and try to get the best deal possible for Davis if that's the direction the franchise wants to go in.

As for Davis' trade request itself, New Orleans owner Gayle Benson is upset that outside forces are trying to dictate the direction of the franchise, sources told Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski's report, Benson has been adamant about taking back control.

Given the news surrounding the franchise lately, one has to assume Davis' agent, Rich Paul, is one of those outside forces after he publicly stated Davis wouldn't sign a contract extension with the Pelicans.

Of course, plenty can change in the Davis trade talks in the buildup to the offseason, but it looks like Benson wants to install a general manager who can be stern, and if Davis' future comes up, the new person in charge needs to be able to strike a fair deal for the franchise.

Knicks Engaged with Kings Over a Few Trade Targets

The New York Knicks made one of the biggest splashes of the trade deadline, as they shipped Kristaps Porzingis to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan and two first-round picks.

But before New York went ahead with Dallas as its trade partner, it explored the Sacramento Kings as a potential landing spot for Porzingis.

According to Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Knicks tried to engage the Kings in trade talks for De'Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley III.

However, those advances were unsuccessful, as the Kings rejected both of New York's inquiries, according to Stein.

The Kings were right to say no to the Knicks since they are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race.

If they traded Bagley or Fox in exchange for Porzingis, who wouldn't be ready until next season, the Kings would have hurt their chances of qualifying for the postseason.

From the Knicks' perspective, it's understandable why they tried to reach out to the Kings about Fox or Bagley since both players are putting together solid seasons.

Fox, who participated in Friday's Rising Stars Challenge alongside Bagley, is second on the Sacramento roster in scoring with 17.2 points per game, while Bagley is averaging 13.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game off the bench.

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