Anthony Davis is, simply put, one of the elite talents in the NBA today. His abilities have never been in question as he has been one of the most gifted two-way big men. His 6’11” frame and freakish wingspan allow him to wreak havoc in the lane defensively and shoot over defenders on the offensive end. He fits right into the mold of the elite, modern big: a lanky body type combined with athleticism and the ability to handle and shoot like a guard. The only complaints anyone can have regarding The Brow’s career thus far, is his uncontrollable and unfortunate injury issues, and his team’s lack of success.
The New Orleans Pelicans should be considered a middling team at best, and even though a case can be made that Davis needs more help, the Pels should certainly be contending for a playoff spot in an all of a sudden shallow Western Conference. At the 12th seed with a mark of 22-34, that simply is not the case and has resulted in rumors of the star’s future with the franchise.
Since leaving teams and joining forces with other superstars is becoming a trend in the NBA, there have been rumblings of a possible Anthony Davis departure for some time now, most recently involving the Los Angeles Lakers. It seems like there are annual rumors about superstars teaming up in LA and this year, there was a recent report that Davis and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook could unite on the Lakers in the future. On Tuesday, Davis spoke to the media and adamantly denied the recent rumors, re-stating his loyalty to the Pelicans:
“I don’t plan on leaving, so make sure you write that down,” Davis said when asked about trade speculation.
Another questioner asked Davis about an Internet rumor speculating that he and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook could eventually join forces with the Lakers in Los Angeles, where his agent, Arn Tellem of Wasserman Media Group is based.
“I don’t pay attention to (the rumors),” Davis said. “I don’t know who said it or how it came about. I’m with the Pelicans right now.”
Davis shooting down the rumors shouldn’t come as much of a surprise due to the fact that since Davis was chosen #1 overall, he has remained the consummate professional and nothing but loyal to the Pelicans franchise. While many may want to see Davis team up with another superstar elsewhere, it’s good to see loyalty still exists and there are some players willing to build from the ground up.
