Anthony Davis could very well remain with the New Orleans Pelicans through the 2020-21 season should he exercise a player option, but there already has been plenty of speculation over where his career may take him.
Davis was long considered someone who the Los Angeles Lakers would eventually target and that was amplified when he switched agencies to Klutch Sports in order to be represented by Rich Paul. He of course is LeBron James’ agent, close friend and business partner.
Then, when asked about the possibility of playing with Davis, James openly welcomed the idea. It set off a media firestorm and reportedly angered general managers of small-market teams who believed James violated the NBA’s tampering rules.
The timing of his remarks came days before the Lakers hosted Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans. Like other presumed targets who have played at Staples Center, he was greeted with a warm reception during pregame introductions.
“I don’t pay attention to any of that. When I step on the floor, I’m locked into what our gameplan is and what we’ve got to do to beat the opponent that we’re playing,” Davis said after his 30-point, 20-rebound performance.
“I don’t pay attention to what the crowd is saying or doing. I just try to focus on what I can control. My job is to focus on the New Orleans Pelicans. I try to help this team win. Anything outside of that is white noise to me, honestly.”
Davis continued to downplay James’ praise as having any sort of significance and again restated his commitment to the Pelicans. “If anybody in the league says they want to play with any guy, I think that’s a pretty cool deal,” Davis said.
“Like I said before, I love New Orleans, the city, the fans, the atmosphere.”
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