Examining Anthony Davis’ Legacy In New Orleans

Lost in Washington, Anthony Davis still has not signed an extension with the Washington Wizards and is trying to reinvigorate his career in Washington after a down year in Dallas. However, in his early years, he lived through various stages as a player in New Orleans. As Harvey Dent said in the Nolan Batman trilogy,

“You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

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Examining Anthony Davis’ Legacy In New Orleans

“The Brow’s” legacy in New Orleans had many layers. He was the hope of the city, the face of the franchise, and ultimately the villain who forced his way out of a franchise. His turn from being the sweetheart of the “big easy” to the complete villain is worth studying.

Davis was drafted first overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets. The franchise was renamed the New Orleans Pelicans the following season. Before entering the NBA, he played one year at the University of Kentucky, winning an NCAA championship in a legendary season under coach John Calipari.

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He was a breath of fresh air for a franchise that had lost its star player, Chris Paul, a few seasons earlier. During his time in the Big Easy, Davis was easily a top 10 player in the league. His seven-foot-five wingspan made him a nightmare in the paint, and he averaged 2.4 blocks per game. During his seven seasons in New Orleans (2012-13 through 2018-19), he averaged 23.7 points per game.

No one doubts his talent. During his prime, he was unstoppable on both sides of the court. However, the best ability is availability. The voodoo curse on the team must be real because, when it came to staying healthy, Marie Laveau seemed to have her hands all over it. Davis’ time in the Big Easy can be described as fragile, with the center sustaining the following injuries:

A True Two-Way Star

It’s safe to say that Anthony Davis is a top-five player of all time in the Pelicans’ history. Since his time with the franchise, no other player has been that dominant on both ends of the court, being a presence in the paint and defense and torching offenses with nightmare mismatches. In the 2017-18 season, he finished third in both Defensive Player of the Year and MVP voting. Not many players can say they have accomplished that, placing him in a very select group:

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• Michael Jordan – MVP (5×), DPOY (1988), 9× All-Defensive First Team.

• Hakeem Olajuwon – MVP (1994), DPOY (1993, 1994), one of the greatest defensive centers ever.

• LeBron James – 4× MVP, runner-up for DPOY twice, elite two-way force during his Miami years.

• Tim Duncan – 2× MVP, 15× All-Defensive Team selection, perennial DPOY candidate.

• Kevin Garnett – MVP (2004), DPOY (2008), one of the best all-around forwards ever.

• David Robinson – MVP (1995), DPOY (1992), elite scorer, rebounder, and rim protector.

• Shaquille O’Neal – MVP (2000), multiple top-five DPOY finishes, dominant paint presence.

• Anthony Davis – multiple top-five MVP and DPOY-caliber seasons.

This jersey painted the Smoothie King Center night in and night out with young fans screaming every time he touches the ball. His number 23 was iconic with the city. With Saints’ superstar quarterback Drew Brees heading into retirement, Davis should have taken that mantle that the city presented him. Whenever a smaller market team loses their superstar due to a trade request, they normally end up losing that trade in the long run.

Lakers got:

Pelicans got:

• One first-round pick swap

There is a very strong case that the Pelicans lost that trade in the end. While the big man isn’t on the Lakers anymore, Davis was later traded to the Dallas Mavericks, and Los Angeles received a long-term franchise player in Luka Doncic.

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The Smaller-Market Team Superstar Dilemma

When it comes to superstars in smaller markets, they often look to move to a better team in pursuit of a championship. Paul, Jrue Holiday, Carmelo Anthony, and even James have followed this path.

Everyone knows NBA players are extremely wealthy, but they are also motivated by winning championships. Even the opossum in Lakeview, New Orleans, knew that Davis was unhappy and wanted to play for a team competing for rings. The team tried pairing him up with enough talent to make a deep playoff run, but it seems that it was not in the cards.

The city had already gone through something similar when Paul left for the Clippers, so the writing was on the wall. The biggest difference between the two players was that even with the botched trade from the Hornets to the Lakers, Paul continued being the ultimate professional. Now what left a lot to be desired was the way Davis exited the franchise. Davis and his agent, Rich Paul, forced the Pelicans’ hand by demanding a trade to the Lakers, where he could team up with another of Paul’s clients, James. The straw that broke the camel’s back for many of the Pelicans fans was the T-shirt that said “that’s all folks” from the Looney Tunes.