Where other NBA players might deflect or evade, Anthony Davis has no qualms about quashing rumors and conspiracy theories pertaining to his future with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Within a piece for Bleacher Report written by Brian Boyles, a source indicated that Davis could one day leave his current digs to join forces with Russell Westbrook on the Los Angeles Lakers. But the 23-year-old pumped the brakes on that talk roughly 24 hours later, per the Times-PicayuneJeff Duncan‘s :
Anthony Davis professed his loyalty to the Pelicans organization and maintained his commitment to the city of New Orleans during a conference call with international media on Tuesday afternoon.
The media session was part of the league’s pre-event publicity for the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday at the Smoothie King Center, but a handful of the questions specifically addressed Davis’ happiness with the club, which is in danger of missing the playoffs for the fourth time in Davis’ five seasons in New Orleans.
“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.”
Let’s see if Davis is still trumpeting this stance in 2020.
That’s the caveat of all this: Davis cannot become a free agent until 2020, when he’ll hold a player option for the 2020-21 season. The Pelicans needn’t worry about his wandering eyes until then. And he could be eligible for the new collective bargaining agreement’s Designated Player Extension, which would increase the chance of him re-upping with New Orleans tenfold.
Even if Davis does hit the open market in 2020, Westbrook will be approaching his 32nd birthday by that point. Will Davis really tether what’s left of his prime to a point guard who’s past his?
We can’t be sure. Because we’re looking that far ahead.
In the here and now, as well as the foreseeable future, the Pelicans have control of Davis. Their lone job is to try making it work without worrying about rumors that can’t impact them for another three-plus years.
