With the drastic changes to the New Orleans Pelicans’ core around Anthony Davis, the team is banking on him becoming the veteran of the future.
Quick, name the oldest player on the current New Orleans Pelicans’ roster.
If you guessed Omer Asik at 30 years old, that would be correct. But this is not about Omer Asik. It’s the big thing the New Orleans Pelicans lack going into next season. That thing is veteran leadership. There is not a single player on the Pels’ current roster with over seven years of NBA experience. Without a veteran leader, who will be the guy players go to for advice?
It’s obvious: It’s Anthony Davis.
Four years in the league does not really go into depth just how much “experience” Davis has at this level of basketball. He’s been a part of three NBA All-Star Teams, one Olympic Gold Team in 2012 and an All-NBA First Team in 2015. That kind of exposure on multiple levels of basketball means more than a few years in the NBA. It’s a lot more than any other player on this roster can boast.
That reason is why the management has purposefully decided against veteran leadership this time around. They are planning to focus that key role for the team to not only their best, but their most accomplished player.
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Unlike past Pelicans teams that used money on veterans like Kendrick Perkins and John Salmons to be experienced players without much to bring to the court, this team is planning on having this roster use AD as their go-to-guy for leadership. It makes sense, but it does put quite a bit of pressure on the 23 year old.
It’s clear New Orleans wants to compete for a playoff spot this year, but the move seems more centered around the near future for the Pelicans. While Anthony Davis will be the leader now, the goal is to build his ability to mentor those around him. The team can contend for the playoffs now, but the goal is to build a title contending team in the next three-to-five years.
Is there risk to this decision? Of course. AD could struggle with the weight on his shoulders. The injury history is there. If he’s not on the floor, the team will lack not just their best player, but their leader. That’s a gamble.
This gamble also can go south if Davis fails to help the young players develop their game. Guys like E’Twaun Moore, Solomon Hill and Terrence Jones could use Davis to guide them to where they need to be. If that doesn’t happen, their effectiveness might become disastrously poor.
Even with the risk involved, it’s hard to argue against it being a smart decision. The New Orleans Pelicans want Anthony Davis to buy into this being “his team” for the rest of his career. What better way to do that than giving him that assurance right now? It’s a lot to handle, but for a budding superstar ready to leap into the spotlight of the league, it’s worth the gamble.
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With a new year on the horizon, the New Orleans Pelicans are not making the same mistakes anymore. Instead, they plan to give the reigns to their superstar, put young and exciting pieces next to him and see where it goes. The Pelicans, as expected, are putting all their chips in on Anthony Davis. At the end of the day, Anthony Davis’ career path in the NBA seems to be quite the smart bet altogether.