What do you have when the franchise player no longer wants to play for the team, but the NBA is forcing the team to play him? Welcome to the New Orleans Pelicans circus.
The New Orleans Pelicans knew the Anthony Davis situation would be complicated to say the least once the clock struck 3:00 P.M. Eastern Standard Time on February 8th. The trade deadline would have come and gone, but AD would still have been on the roster. With 25+ games still remaining in the season, conventional wisdom might have suggested the Pelicans shut AD down the rest of the season to protect him from injury. Enter the NBA.
Reportedly, the NBA would subject the Pelicans to a fine of 100K per game that a healthy Davis would sit out. They stressed the 2017 rest rule the NBA put in place that reprimanded a team for resting healthy players, especially superstars, in order to uphold the spirit of competitive balance for the league and its fans.
The Pelicans have heeded the warning by playing Davis, but the situation has gotten more convoluted than ever. In Davis’ first game since the trade deadline passed, he sat out the entire fourth quarter in a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The next two games saw losses to the Memphis Grizzles and the Orlando Magic respectively, where Davis scored a combined 17 points in those games. Then things reached the apex of absurdity.
Late in the second quarter Davis appeared to have injured his shoulder attempting to block a shot. Halftime ensued and while the rest of the Pelicans emerged from the locker room, but AD stayed behind. Then in the second half TV cameras caught AD leaving the arena in street clothes with his manager Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group.
Social media erupted after the video surfaced and it really questioned who really is in charge of this situation. According to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, owner Gayle Benson was “livid” at what transpired as it put a national focus on her team in a negative light. Immediate action was taken as the next day GM Dell Demps was relieved of his duties as general manager. Mrs. Benson then vowed an aggressive search for a new GM, one who will keep the best interests of the Pelicans and their future first.
Ownership was livid with an injured Anthony Davis leaving arena during Thursday night’s game, sources say. Gayle Benson is telling associates she wants an overhaul of Pelicans and a search for a GM to take command of Davis trade talks and the reshaping of team’s future.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2019
Yes, Davis made a public request to be traded from the New Orleans Pelicans. But he is still has more than a year remaining on his contract. The Pelicans were well within their right not to trade him at his request. What the NBA did made no sense. Forcing a team to play a player who doesn’t want to be there is hardly upholding any competitive standard.
With over 20 games still remaining in the season, there are over 20 more episodes of the new hit NBA drama, As The Pelican Flies.