As a future sportscaster/writer, I feel as if I have this opportunity to have an opinion on topics such as the one I'm going to be talking about today. I enjoy giving my thoughts, which is why I have my own podcast (College Dorm Sports on iTunes) and I talked about the Anthony Davis situation on the pod this week. However, I forgot to mention something on the podcast that I wish I would've; Anthony Davis wanting out of New Orleans creates a whole new positive swing of energy to teams and fans who don't want a Warrior's three-peat to happen this year.
For those who don't know, last Monday, Pelicans superstar center Anthony Davis announced through his agent that he does not intend on resigning in New Orleans and would like to be traded before the two years remaining on his contract expire. It was a bombshell for sure and sent the sports media into a frenzy. What was supposed to be a day filled with Super Bowl talk was now replaced with trade rumors and possibilities for Davis. Now that the dust of the announcement has settled and more logic starts to replace it, will Davis get shipped out before the Feb 7 trade deadline?
If he does move on to another team, especially a team that is already considered a contender or is on the brink of being contenders, they're chances of winning the NBA Championship go up immensely. Davis is considered one of the best players in the league and his impact on a new team would be noticeable immediately. He could be the only thing to stop another Warriors championship, which would be a great thing for the league.
When Kevin Durant joined the Warriors in 2016, many fans saw this as the end of competitive basketball (exaggeration) since the Warriors now had 4 all-stars on their roster. So far in the KD era for the Warriors, they have been almost perfect. Their first title run saw the team go 16-1 through the postseason, with their only loss coming in game 4 of the NBA Finals. They would win their 3rd title in 4 years when they defeated Cleveland again in 2018 but definitely had some harder challenges along the way in 2018. Now, with DeMarcus Cousins joining the Warriors in the offseason and him becoming fully healthy recently, the Warriors look poised to go on another title run. Trading Anthony Davis to a contender could be the only thing that stops the Warriors dominance.
In the one playoff series Davis faced the Warriors in, which was last years conference semi-finals, he put up 27.8 points per game and also totaled 15 rebounds per game. Those numbers are dominant, but the rest of the team fell lackluster to the premier shooting of the Warriors, and they ultimately lost in five games. If Davis was to join another superstar player like LeBron James in Los Angeles or Giannis in Milwaukee, the team could pull off the biggest upset in basketball by beating an all-time team. Whether it happens or not before Feb 7 is yet to be seen. If it does happen, its great for the league, and for a player who has deserved a lot more than one playoff series victory.
