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Anthony Davis knew it was time for a change after spending the better part of six-plus seasons with the New Orleans but didn't really make up his mind about potentially leaving The Big Easy until Christmas time last year.
The Pelicans were 15-19 and not in the Christmas Day slate of games, something the now-Los Angeles Lakers forward badly craved in retrospect.
“I think it was just the wins weren’t adding up, and it seemed like we weren’t making the playoffs,” Davis told Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports after posting 24 points, six rebounds, two steals, and two blocks during a 111-106 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. “Everyone around me and everyone who knows me knows that I want to win. And I didn’t feel like we were going to be able to do that last year. I want to be able to win. We got off to a great start. We were 4-0. Then guys got hurt and little things started to go south. But my mindset at the time was to keep trying to lead my team.”
The Pels would continue piling up the losses and in early January, Davis knew he wanted better for himself, taking him until Jan. 28 to formally request a trade out of New Orleans.
Davis explained how he came about making that decision.
“You don’t have a lot of time in this league. It goes by very fast,” he said. “So for me, it was about putting myself in position where I can win before this career is over. And hopefully win several championships and have several winning seasons. That’s what was going through my head at that time. I’m not sure what the record was, but I felt like it was time for me to at least let the organization know where my head was at.”
Despite losing four in a row, the Lakers still find themselves atop a loaded Western Conference with a 24-8 record, way above what the Pelicans were able to muster last season. Christmas Day was a day to enjoy great basketball for many fans and players, but for Davis, it was a realization of something he craved to have, but couldn't achieve by staying put with the franchise that once drafted him.
