Windhorst: Anthony Davis, Rich Paul Mocked by Teams, Agents for Trade Failure
February 9, 2019
People around the NBA had a lot of fun at the expense of New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis and agent Rich Paul after the trade deadline passed Thursday.
Speaking on the Brian Windhorst and the Hoop Collective podcast (h/t RealGM.com), ESPN's Windhorst said he received numerous messages mocking Davis and Paul because the All-Star center wasn't traded.
"I couldn't believe how my phone blew up at 3 p.m. [Thursday] with people mocking Anthony Davis and Rich Paul," Windhorst said. "Agents, other teams, league officials saying, 'Boy, they really screwed up.'"
Paul told ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski on Jan. 28 that Davis had requested a trade from the Pelicans.
That left the team just 10 days to work out a deal before Thursday's trade deadline. The alternative was to have Davis finish this season in New Orleans before general manager Dell Demps presumably explores options this summer.
The Pelicans negotiated with teams, most notably the Los Angeles Lakers, but Davis wasn't dealt. Wojnarowski reported Monday that Los Angeles' offer included draft picks and players, including Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram and Kyle Kuzma.
In the same report, Wojnarowski noted Davis provided the Pelicans with a list of teams he'd prefer to play for. The Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks were among the clubs on the list.
Davis, who sat out nine games with a finger injury, returned to the Pelicans' lineup Friday night. He was greeted with boos by some fans before scoring 32 points in 25 minutes to help the team defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves.
When MJ Wore #12 After His Jersey Was Stolen Before a Game
15 Years Ago, LeBron, Wade and Melo Took Over All-Star Weekend
14 Years Ago, Iverson Dropped Career-High 60 Points
The Kyrie and LeBron Bromance Is Back!
Bats Have Become an Unexpected Attraction at Spurs Games
KD Giving Back to His Hometown with Durant Center
Four Years Ago, Klay Drops Record 37 Pts in One Quarter
Remembering the Night Kobe Scored 81 Points
Happy 37th Birthday Dwyane Wade
Steph Is a Few Shots Away from NBA 3-Point History
Can Harden Keep His Dominance Going?
Steph Gifts Fan Who Asked for Girls UA Kicks with New Curry 6s
Happy 34th Birthday to LeBron 👑
4 Years Ago, Kobe Passed Jordan on the NBA Scoring List
Drummond and Embiid Reignite Rivalry
Happy 24th Birthday to Giannis Antetokounmpo
D-Rose Turned Back the Clock and Put Up 50
Dubs Trolled Fergie So Hard It Became a Challenge
CP3-Rondo Blowup Was a Long Time Coming
NBA Let Players Know They Have to Cover Branded Tattoos
In his seventh season with the Pelicans, Davis is averaging career highs of 29.4 points and 13.2 rebounds per game. He's signed for one more season in 2019-20 before he can opt out of his deal, per Spotrac.
Famous Los Wins MVP for NBA Celebrity Game