New Orleans Pelicans: Why we love Jrue Holiday and hate Anthony Davis

New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis’ exit was a lesson in how not to do it

Both Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis eventually requested trades to better teams. This happens in the NBA and sometimes it totally makes sense.

But if you look at how Holiday and Davis did it, you’ll see two totally different approaches. Davis used the media to make his wishes well known, which led to constant speculation and trade rumors hanging over the Pelicans for the better part of two seasons.

The AD saga became a soap opera that hurt the team and dominated all of the talk, especially once it became clear that they were going to honor his wishes and trade him.

Holiday, on the other hand, did his business behind closed doors, never going to the press or making his story the focus of the team. He quietly asked to be sent to a better situation, which made sense given his age and desire to win a title before he was too old.

Davis wasn’t old, wasn’t in the latter stages of his career and just wanted out because it would be harder to win a title in New Orleans than it would be in Los Angeles. Pretty simple.

He hijacked the team for a season, forced a trade and then basically flipped New Orleans the bird on the way out.

Jrue Holiday has had nothing but positive things to say about the organization, including thanking them for their part in sending him to Milwaukee.

Holiday’s exit and the aftermath were a lesson in class, while AD’s was a lesson in how to look like a clown wearing a “That’s All Folks!” T-Shirt after faking an injury to not have to play.