New Orleans Pelicans: 3 reasons Julius Randle is a great pickup

2. Fanbase can move on from Boogie

Make no mistake about it, DeMarcus Cousins was loved in the Big Easy. A native of Mobile, Alabama, only two hours away, he was viewed almost as a hometown kid playing for his city’s team.

I was in attendance for Game 3 against the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2018 NBA Playoffs, and each time he was shown on the video board, the fans showed him their appreciation and support.

Not only was he loved by the fanbase, but he was also respected in the locker room. He was instrumental in bringing Rondo to New Orleans, and his relationship with Davis was growing by the day.

Management also wanted Cousins back, otherwise they wouldn’t have reportedly offered him a two-year, $40 million contract before the regular season ended, all while he was coming off a devastating Achilles injury.

New Orleans has been thirsty for basketball success since Chris Paul orchestrated his trade in 2011. After finally achieving success last season, the loss of a franchise player like Cousins could’ve been detrimental to the future of the franchise.

With the potential signing of Randle, hope is still alive in New Orleans. It eases the pain of Boogie’s departure, and the city can actually look forward to the new season beginning in October.

Had Davis not pushed for this deal, and Demps not agreed, the ramifications could’ve been catastrophic. AD could’ve lost faith in the organization, and requested a trade. As seen with the Dwight Howard saga in Orlando, a unhappy superstar player can doom a small market team for years.

Luckily for the city of New Orleans, the 2018-19 season is full of potential. A starting lineup of Holiday, the newly acquired Elfrid Payton, Nikola Mirotic, Davis and Randle is a dangerous unit to face in the Western Conference. If the Pels can add some wing depth to their bench, they could be the talk of the NBA next season.