The regular season in the NBA is in full swing right now and the New Orleans Pelicans have dominated the conversation among the national media but for one specific reason: superstar Anthony Davis has consistently been the talking point of the league, and with his team struggling, his future on the Pelicans has never looked more in doubt.
Davis and the Pelicans are under a microscope and with each loss the pressure on the team mounts. Rumors can be found far and wide on every major sports outlet, with so many still linking him to L.A and the Lakers. Speculation that Davis could leave as early as the upcoming trade deadline has run rampant despite so much evidence and common sense to the contrary.
That may be the most frustrating aspect of this whole ordeal — the Davis to the Lakers speculation has largely been a self manufactured affair by media and other outlets for reasons other than honest reporting.
Thus, who can blame Davis for sounding like a broken record anytime he is asked about his future. It has been along the same lines of “I’m focused on this team and this season,” and things have gotten to the point where Davis’ answers sound cliche. His stance has not wavered — even in times of frustration, Davis has repeatedly expressed his loyalty to turning around the Pelicans season as his top priority.
The latest example of this occurred when Davis shot down a reporter asking if he’s been thinking about playing for a team that wasn’t in 14th place after a recent loss to the Nets in Brooklyn. He quickly responded with a firm, “I don’t, next question.”
Nothing negative from @AntDavis23 tonight after loss to #Nets. Ducked question about when he will grow tired of playing for 14th best team in West. “Next question,” was his money quote.
— Chris Sheridan (@sheridanhoops) January 3, 2019
Despite all of the evidence collected which depicts Davis’ commitment to New Orleans for the rest of the year, the stories and the rumors keep on piling up. For a lot of fans — not just Pelicans supporters — the unsubstantiated guesswork has been a source of frustration. Constant rumors and fake trade packages give the appearance of an imminent AD departure. Honestly, one can’t go a full day without seeing some connection to the Los Angeles.
Here’s the best part, though, the Lakers — if that fateful day were to ever arrive — wouldn’t even be able to put together a competitive package for AD. Who would be their centerpiece(s)? Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and/or Kyle Kuzma? Please. That’s two woefully inefficient scorers while the third will always give up at least as many points as he scores. There’s no good guarantee of star potential here. And contemplating trades doesn’t even take into account LeBron’s age plus mileage or the idea that Davis’ legacy could be tarnished by going elsewhere to join up with another superstar!
Yeah so, just stop.
The mood around the fanbase of the Pelicans started to drop precipitously after the team began to consistently falter about a month into the season and it’s largely stayed there as New Orleans failed to do anything monumental to put those rumors on ice by winning. But to add to the fracas by hoping against hope and throwing logic out the window in the form of some poorly concocted trade proposals — are you really trying to mimic the ever humorous Boston Celtics fanbase?
In reality, I guess, this is just the climate we currently reside. Despite the flaws on their roster, the Lakers are the NBA’s most popular team with the league’s most popular player. Of course, they are going to dominate the regular season conversation and be at the center of all important trade discussions. Remember, that city was thirsty for a superstar after Kobe Bryant tore his Achilles until this summer. The narratives, the speculation, the rumors, the talking heads, it all won’t stop pulling New Orleans into the mix until Davis ultimately signs or doesn’t sign the super-max.
The latest article by the Athletic revealed nothing novel — and that has been the problem with all of the AD-centric rumors.
There is nothing ever new.
It’s just the same regurgitated lines that we have been hearing for quite some time now. Anthony Davis cares about winning and is focused on this year. Those two ideas can basically summarize every AD interview since…well, it’s been for a really long time!
For instance, does anyone recall this newsflash from last February after DeMarcus Cousins went down with a season-ending Achilles tear?
“I don’t go into any year saying, okay, I don’t want to be here or nothing like that, but of course at some point, you want to win — and I feel like we are trying to get the right pieces around here. I think our front office is doing a better job. They’re doing the best job they can do. I feel like we’re moving in the right direction, but you do have to take it year by year and see where it goes. That’s how I’m approaching it. You know, of course, Cuz is a big factor and what he’s going to do or not, but I’m here until 2021, man, and then {I’ll} make a decision from there. I don’t plan on leaving in the next couple of years or anything like that. Like I said, I’ve always wanted to be here and that’s still true.”
Give credit to Rich Paul of Klutch Sports who has certainly done a good job of keeping the Anthony Davis name in the news cycle without there really being anything new to add at all. The definition of news is something new — for those who need that tip — and there’s been nothing different of note straight from the horse’s mouth to add to that front. Davis has said from the very beginning that all he cares about is winning.
Nothing has changed.
The future is the future, and if Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and countless others have taught us anything, it is that predicting a highly regarded player’s future is a pointless endeavor as it rarely works out the way that most say or think it will unfold.
So, my advice to everyone — but especially Pelicans fans: enjoy the present and don’t worry about anyone else’s future but your own.
Source: “Los Angeles” – Google News