In an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols over All-Star weekend, Pelicans All-Star Anthony Davis shared what he thought of the Pelicans’ ceiling before teammate DeMarcus Cousins was lost for the season to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
“We could have gone through the playoffs. No one could really stop us as bigs. We go to the Finals if we went,” Davis told Nichols. “[Teammate Rajon Rondo] reminds us of it: ‘You guys are the two best bigs. I know what it takes to win championships; we got it.'”
Before Cousins’ injury, Davis and he were on pace to become the first teammates ever to each average 25 points and 10 rebounds per game for a season. Moreover, New Orleans was in sixth place in the West and climbing in the standings and Cousins was averaging MVP-caliber numbers.
Cousins will be a free agent this summer, so it’s interesting to wonder whether Davis genuinely believes the Pelicans could have realistically competed for a title this season or if he was just flattering Cousins as a recruiting tactic.
Davis is under contract with New Orleans through the 2020/21 season, but says that hearing former players such as Kevin Garnett express regret about not asking sooner for a trade to a more competitive franchise has made him think.
“It makes you think, ’cause you’re wondering if you’re following in that same path,” he said. “But then again, you’re like, ‘This year could be the year.’ So, just got to take it year by year and just see, and see where the team is going, what direction they want to go to and just see where their head is.”
They need a decent point guard(not holiday, who they heavily overpaid, or rondo, like a Pat Beverley type)
A good wing(like a Marcus Morris type, maybe a little better) and forward(Kind of got with Mirotic, not a pressing need)
Hasn’t Holiday been playing more SG and succeeding in that role?
Cousins and Anthony together are a scary combo, but the rest of the team wasn’t there, I could have seen them pulling an upset in an early round maybe or pushing 6or 7 games vs a great team, but not serious contention.
Come on AD, you would have had no chance to beat the Warriors or a healthy Spurs squad. If you were in the East (where you should be), I would listen to your argument a little longer, but regardless of Conference, you’re not a serious title contender.
As an aside, I read all the Jrue overrated stuff and it drives me nuts. As a Philly fan, I saw him early, and he’s a heck of a player, as long as you play him at the 2. Jrue is not a PG, though he has some ability to facilitate. Watching him in year three with Philly as the 3 ball started coming around, he could be 20 a night if just used as a scorer.
He’s slightly undersized to be a full time 2 as he’d fit the combo guard role moreso than just playing shooting guard. There are other small twos out there, but having a long, athletic two guard who can switch onto some/most forwards is a must for a championship team.
Goldenstate doesnt have anyone who can guard ad and cousins lmao. NO had good defense they would have put up a good fight
They should’ve given their first for three evans, not mirotic. Even so, they had no chance AD a mom
cmon* not a mom lol
Lmao a mom
AD and Boogie would definitely be a threat, but they wouldn’t be a real Finals contender. I don’t see Jrue Holiday or Rajon Rondo as the correct guys to slot alongside the two bigs. And they lack talent on the wings. I just have a hard time seeing New Orleans being able to keep up with a healthy Golden State, Houston, San Antonio, or OKC squad in a 7 game series.
NO could easily beat the spurs the other teams would be interesting, spurs are overrated trash