While Anthony Davis hasn’t spoken on the full reason he’s demanded a trade from the New Orleans Pelicans, the Saints, the other sports team in the city, might have been part of the problem.
In The Athletic’s recent breakdown of the Anthony Davis sweepstakes, an interesting tidbit was thrown in regarding the Pelicans and their ownership group. For those unaware, Mickey Loomis is not only the owner of the New Orleans Saints, but the decision-maker for the Pelicans.
According to the report, a source with knowledge of Davis’ thinking hinted that Davis was concerned that the Pelicans weren’t a priority to the ownership, and that they were more involved and interested in the Saints than anything.
Article Continues BelowAs if it’s not tough enough as it is to convince a megastar to stay in a small market, a source with knowledge of Davis’ thinking said the idea that the Pelicans were less of a priority to ownership than the Saints has been a growing concern. While Pelicans officials push back against this notion, all it takes to understand why someone might question that element is a quick peek at Loomis’ biography in the Pelicans media guide. Of the 541 words describing his involvement, 497 are spent chronicling his football accomplishments.
Of course, the thought that Loomis wouldn’t be as interested in the Pelicans succeeding is a bit tough to believe, especially when it comes to losing one of the best players in the league in Davis. Still, the Pelicans haven’t been huge players in the market for free agency, while the Saints have enjoyed a new renaissance after years of floundering.
Only time will tell what the real reason for Davis wanting to leave is, but it can’t look good for the ownership of both teams if football got in the way of Anthony Davis staying.