What will be the deciding factor in Anthony Davis’ decision with Pelicans?

Anthony Davis met with New Orleans Pelicans’ VP of Basketball Operations, David Griffin, today to discuss the disgruntled star’s future with the team. What will be the deciding factor for his decision to stay, or move on?

We’ve all become much too acclimated with the Anthony Davis trade demand saga over the last number of months. His departure from the New Orleans Pelicans appears inevitable, but David Griffin and company have made a concentrated effort to change Davis’ mind. But what if his decision is already final? Could his decision involve other factors non-basketball related?

Since Davis’ trade demand was made known by the public, the Pelicans have constructed a seismic shift within their front office. The trade demand may have very well served as a “wakeup call”, as the organization has made all the right moves since. However, Davis has yet to budge on his demand—he still wants out of New Orleans—and it’s not unreasonable for one to think this may have little to do with the game of basketball.

The appeal of the larger market franchises may prove too much for the likes of Anthony Davis. With a star of his magnitude comes the ability to establish your own brand, that’s something easier accomplished in a city like Los Angeles or New York compared to New Orleans. There’s no denying that.

Or maybe the deciding factor will be Davis’ wish to play alongside his childhood hero, LeBron James. After signing with James’ agent, Rich Paul, Davis has not left subtle bread crumbs that eventually lead to the Lakers—he threw the entire loaf of bread on the trail there. But would he really be in a better situation with what’s transpiring over in Hollywood?

If you have not been paying attention to major sports tabloids over the last few days, allow me to indulge you briefly as to what’s happening in Laker-land. The front office is in shambles, Magic has exited as president of the Lakers in hilarious fashion and is burning the bridge with every talk show appearance, the staff is terrified to show up to work every day, the team has no cohesion whatsoever, and Pelinka is making up stories about Kobe Bryant talking to Heath Ledger about how he got into character for The Dark Knight. Thank Baxter Holmes of ESPN for this gem of a story, if you have yet to read it, here it is.

Now compare that to the last four months in New Orleans:

• New VP of Basketball Operations, and previous GM of a championship team, David Griffin.

• New GM, Trajan Langdon, who played a significant role in the successful revamping of the Brooklyn Nets as their assistant GM.

• New head of training staff, Aaron Nelson, who is NBA renowned for his revolutionary injury prevention tactics.

• Oh, and yeah, they landed the draft rights to Zion Williamson.

The Lakers are a prestigious franchise (pre-2013), that’s irrefutable. But, they’ve been a tad bit dysfunctional as of late, and don’t necessarily possess the most appealing destination for a superstar. So once again I ask you, does this have anything to do with basketball?

New Orleans could form a dynamic big-three with the likes of Jrue Holiday, Zion Williamson, and Anthony Davis. At absolute worst, that’s an elite defensive line up. Holiday will be 29-years-old entering next season, Davis will be 26-years-old, and Zion will be 19-years-old as a rookie. Realistically, there’s still time for them to grow. And with that core, free agents could gravitate to the Big Easy and want to be a part of something special.

Yet Davis does not see it from that perspective. It’s hard to erase seven years of hardship, the Pelicans have failed to accomplish much of anything in the Davis era, and that’s worth mentioning. However, that does not also mean that the future will be just as bleak.

Or maybe he views the damage done between himself and the organization irremediable. But I highly doubt the organization would not welcome him back with open arms if Davis has a change of heart and buys into their long-term vision. Likewise, even though he’s distanced himself from the fan base, I don’t think there’s one Pelican fan that would dispute Davis getting an overwhelming standing ovation by Smoothie King Center faithful if he were to return next season.

Whatever the case, if Davis leaves or if Griffin uses his magic and charm to convince him to stay, the Pelicans will be in a solid position moving forward. It’s just unfortunate how this whole situation panned out.