Pelicans Rumors: 3 reasons why David Griffin should let Anthony Davis go
By Nolan Jensen
#3) A Davis trade would expedite a rebuild
Whenever a player of Anthony Davis’ magnitude is made openly available, all twenty-nine other organizations at least ponder if they could make a deal for his services. Of those twenty-nine, a distinct few aggressively pursue. All in competition to land the superstar, they package their most appealing assets to entice the seller.
The Los Angeles Lakers threw their entire young core at the New Orleans Pelicans before this year’s trade deadline. And if that was not enough, they added in draft capital and cap relief to bolster their trade package. The Pelicans still said no. Informing every organization in the NBA that they will remain patient in negotiations, and that they expect a package that will put them in the best possible situation for the future.
What’s also noteworthy is Davis’ contract. He’s on the books next season to make $27 million, and then afterward he has a player option he’s likely to opt out on. That’s not saying a player of Davis’ caliber is not worth the money. That’s ridiculous. But, the Pelicans would have freed up cap space and the added benefit of not worrying about offering a supermax when his contract is up—which can prove a hindrance for small market teams.
Instead, they would potentially receive rookie contracts in the trade and could even possibly shed a contract like Solomon Hill‘s. So when the time comes, they can enter free agency as major buyers and find a complimentary star to fit the mold of their roster.
New Orleans made the postseason twice in the Davis era, trading him gives the team the luxury of doing a rebuild on the fly and getting back on the right track.