There are few NBA superstars who have been tied to more trade rumors than Anthony Davis.
While there is no indication that the New Orleans Pelicans are shopping the five-time All-Star, many have wondered if the team would deal him away for the right price. And if the Pelicans do ever make Davis available, there’s no doubt a host of clubs will be chomping at the bit to acquire the star forward.
It would be a stretch to say that Davis is wasting his talents in New Orleans, but it’s hard not imagine the heights he could reach playing for a legitimate championship contender. This thought apparently has crossed Davis’ mind as well.
During an appearance on ESPN’s “The Jump,” Davis explained that he’s heard of star players like Kevin Garnett expressing regret for waiting too long to move on to a better situation suited for success. While Davis doesn’t appear overly concerned about the Pelicans’ future, it’s clear he’s wondered if the grass is greener on the other side.
“When you hear that, it makes you think. I’m not going to lie, it makes you think because you wonder if you’re following in that same path,” Davis said. “But then again, you be like, ‘This year could be the year.’ You don’t know. So you just got to take it year-by-year and just see. See where the team is going, what direction they want to go to, and just see where they’re headed.”
New Orleans looked like a lock for the playoffs through the first half of the season, but it received a devastating blow in the form of DeMarcus Cousins’ season-ending Achilles injury. Now, Davis is back to being the Pelicans’ only star, and Cousins’ impending free agency could mean that the two star big men already have played their last game together.
Davis is under contract through the 2020-21 season, so there’s no urgency for New Orleans to make a decision on the 24-year-old. It certainly sounds like Davis wants nothing more than to win a title with the Pelicans, but if the team gets stuck in perennial mediocrity, no one could blame him for seeking a new home.
