A little over a week ago, nobody in their right mind thought Anthony Davis would ever play another game for the New Orleans Pelicans. Yet, as the trade deadline annually shows us, things can change in a hurry.

Davis, 25, returned to action in the Pelicans' Friday night matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, after nearly being shut down for the remainder of the 2018-19 season.

After missing the past nine games with an injured finger, the five-time NBA All-Star appeared to be unshaken – despite the hemming and hawing from New Orleans fans.

Pelicans general manager Dell Demps issued a statement regarding the organization's change of heart with Davis' availability in NOLA for the rest of this season's games.

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From ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski:

“A number of factors contributed to this decision. Ultimately, Anthony made it clear to us that he wants to play, and he gives our team the best opportunity to win games.

“Moreover, the Pelicans want to preserve the integrity of the game and align our organization with NBA policies. We believe Anthony playing upholds the values that are in the best interest of the NBA and its fans. We look forward to seeing Anthony in a Pelicans uniform again soon.”

It's still unclear how long this charade will go on.

However, until the team is forced to inevitably whip up a deal for Davis, it's not going to get much better during these home games.

Anthony Davis will team up with LeBron James in next Sunday's NBA All-Star Game, perhaps giving us a preview of what we could be seeing nightly by next year at this time.