New Orleans Pelicans: What if Anthony Davis were on the OKC Thunder?

It’s the offseason, and that means wandering imaginations and endless conjecture. For the New Orleans Pelicans, that intrigue is generally centered around Anthony Davis.

The New Orleans Pelicans force us to consider and reconsider a lot of things: is Omer Asik good at basketball? Can Darren Erman really be a transformative force for a team’s defense? Is being a good team in a small basketball market enough to survive in the exploding economy of the NBA? Yet unfortunately, one thing we don’t quite have to wonder about is the results the team has posted. There’s nothing more concrete than the number one; that’s how many times the Pelicans have made the playoffs since drafting Anthony Davis.

Granted, they’ve competed in an outrageous Western Conference for the life of his career, and several teams have ascended to greatness in just that short time. The Warriors were a mess of injured knees and incongruent parts in 2012. Now they’re a fearsome dynasty. Things have changed.

One of those things that has changed has to do with those Warriors: Kevin Durant has changed teams, having joined Golden State in July after losing to the team in disappointing fashion this past May. I already miss those teams; length, athleticism, and a physical style that made them overwhelming for any opponent. They swung full-speed at skill, confident that their aggression and power would win out.

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Here at PD, this offseason has us bullish about the team’s odds of improving; the offseason additions may be the exact group to unlock Anthony Davis’ true potential. While that’s difficult to say about a guy who just completed his first contract and already has a 30 PER season under his belt, it is fair to posit that Davis hasn’t always had the best group around him. But where would he have been served better?

AD is a well-rounded player, so the inclination is to fantasize about how he’d fit well on any team- this is not true. Hold on, this is all about to come full circle. The reason I bring up those Thunder squads is that these teams are exactly the environment I’d love for Anthony Davis. His defensive strengths would be exploited and useful for a team that can squelch individual plays and transition looks with great on-ball D around the court and would in turn not rely on him to do so, and his shooting and athletic style on offense would be magnificent with lower usage. Just imagine him in Serge Ibaka’s old role.

Now, the current version of the Thunder (minus KD) present an equally interesting destination for Davis. Next to Russell Westbrook, he’d be a devastating pick and roll partner. He’d also be given more responsibility against top frontcourt players on defense, and perhaps initiate the transition game with outlet passes and turnovers. AD can handle responsibility, and Russ is made better by an equally talented partner.

Lastly, the team has benefitted from the young, collegiate atmosphere it created years ago for these guys. Young players continue to flourish when they come to Oklahoma City. Anthony Davis is not necessarily a young man at this point in his career, but the culture in OKC is enviable. Imagining Davis maturing on the court with less pressure and more talented, young teammates is enough to make anyone giddy.

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In case you needed a reminder: There is no trade possible here, and I have no interest in Davis playing anywhere but New Orleans. But a player like Anthony Davis only comes around once every generation, and it’s impossible not to imagine him in other situations, changing the course of history in the NBA. It just so happens that a few hundred miles away, there was a perfect storm brewing where his talents would have been maximized and his role minimized in a perfect way. It’s a completely imaginary what-if, but I can’t help but drool- it’s September, and I miss basketball.

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