Pelicans’ strong start isn’t enough to keep Anthony Davis

Despite a strong start to the season, the Pelicans are in danger of losing MVP-caliber superstar Anthony Davis when he can opt out in 2020.

The New Orleans Pelicans are off to a 4-0 start for the first time since the 2010-11 season. The hot streak has New Orleans looking like an early championship contender. But while fans enjoy the early success, it’s not enough to keep Anthony Davis from hitting the open market in free agency during the summer of 2020.

Yes, the Pelicans are undefeated, but it’s less than two weeks into an 82-game season. The win on the road against the Rockets was a statement. But let’s face it. The Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets are anticipated cellar dwellers.

Those were games that this team was supposed to win easily.

The real test comes next week. How do the Pelicans survive four straight road games against the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs? You are looking at a team that could easily struggle to remain at .500 two weeks into the season.

Anthony Davis’ thoughts can quickly drift to a future with a new squad.

In an era where super teams appear to be the only way to win an NBA championship, the Pelicans are nowhere near forming such a roster. They had something brewing with DeMarcus Cousins in the lineup, but that came to a halt when New Orleans refused to pay the four-time All-Star.

Instead, he signed a one year deal for $5.3 million with the Warriors. Somewhere, in the back of Anthony Davis’ mind, he has to be wondering how this franchise couldn’t come up with a better offer.

I’m not saying that Davis is surrounded by a bunch of rec league players on his squad. Jrue Holiday is a solid point guard who makes very few mistakes. Julius Randle is a workhorse. The biggest surprise is Nikola Mirotic, who is averaging almost 23 points a night.

But compare those guys to playing alongside LeBron James in L.A. or teaming up with Kristaps Porzingis at Madison Square Garden every night. A few eyebrows would be raised if Anthony Davis turned down those options to stay in New Orleans. (That wasn’t a Unibrow joke. I promise.)

The Pelicans have to sell Davis on the city of New Orleans if they have any chance of him staying put. It’s a city with a great culture, and the fans in attendance love their Pelicans basketball. There’s just one problem with that notion.

They’ve been one of the league’s worst teams in attendance for over a decade. You can get a ticket for six bucks or sit in the lower level for $30. Still, there are plenty of seats all throughout the arena.

When there are that many inexpensive tickets available to see an MVP-caliber talent, it may be a sign that it’s time for him to move on.

This isn’t the first time the New Orleans franchise has been faced with this dilemma. Ironically, the same thing occurred the last time they started a season 4-0. General manager Dell Demps was fearful that they would lose Chris Paul in free agency and ended up trading him.

The first deal to the Lakers was so awful that it was vetoed. Finally, CP3 was shipped to the Clippers for what still seemed like very little for the All-Star guard.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, former NBA commissioner David Stern referred to Demps as a “lousy general manager.” Unfortunately for Pelicans fans, that same GM is tasked with keeping Davis in New Orleans or finding a trade that provides the team with something of value.

Two things need to happen for the Pelicans to keep Anthony Davis. They must avoid  major slumps. Otherwise, there’s a chance that the GM ignites another fire sale. The Pelicans must also find a way to somehow advance to the Western Conference Finals in the next two seasons.

Perhaps Davis will want to stay in town to handle unfinished business if he has a taste of success.

That’s a tall order for a franchise that has yet to prove its ability to keep a marquee player from jumping ship. The strong start in New Orleans is nice, but it will be a footnote in what appears to be the beginning of the end of Anthony Davis as a member of the Pelicans.