Davis is eligible to sign a five-year, $240million extension this year and can become a free agent in 2020.
The 25-year-old’s agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN on Monday that Davis had made the decision “in the best interest of both Anthony’s and the organisation’s future” and that he was looking for a move to a team who could vie for championships.
With the February 7 deadline approaching, the Pelicans are in no rush to trade the injured star and released a statement confirming any deal would be on their terms.
It read: “This past weekend, Anthony Davis’ representatives informed us that Anthony does not wish to sign a contract extension with our team and subsequently has requested a trade.
“Although we are disappointed in this decision, our organisation’s top priority is to bring an NBA championship to our city and fans and build our team for long-term success.
“Relative to specific talks of a trade, we will do this on our terms and our timeline. One that makes the most sense for our team and it will not be dictated by those outside of our organisation.
“We have also requested the league to strictly enforce the tampering rules associated with this transaction.”
Reports have suggested the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics could compete for Davis’ signature, although the latter would have to wait until Kyrie Irving becomes a free agent on July 1 before making a move.
Davis has been sidelined with an injured left index finger. He is averaging 29.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game this season.
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