Anthony Davis hiring Rich Paul as his agent set off a firestorm of speculation about Davis leaving the Pelicans to join LeBron James on the Lakers.
Paul and Davis are trying squelch it.
Brian Windhorst of ESPN:Brett Martel of the Associated Press:
Davis said the move was aimed primarily at helping him become the “the most dominant player in the league.”
“It was just for where I am right now in my career — what I’m trying to do — I thought the change was necessary,” Davis said Monday, when the Pelicans held media day on the eve of training camp. “That’s all it was.”
Not that he can’t get better, but Davis already says he’s the NBA’s best player:
"I am the best player in the game" - AD
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) September 26, 2018
full post-practice interview -> https://t.co/g0Qzu3tign#doitBIG https://t.co/8meGjU1UZL
Davis:
This is all fairly unconvincing. LeBron is better than Davis. Davis disrupting the status quo – which included repeated declarations of his desire to win in New Orleans – with an agent change only adds more uncertainty.
Until Davis surpasses LeBron on the court and signs a super-max extension this summer, there will be major doubts about these claims.
As far as basketball performance, that’s earned. Davis must improve to surpass LeBron – and escape the Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook crowd (and hold off younger players like Giannis Antetokounmpo).
The speculation about Davis’ future isn’t always based on facts, but it’s also a reality of being a superstar in a small market. It’ll be hard for Davis and Paul to change the narrative until the super-max extension is in front of them.