The New Orleans Pelicans’ frontcourt is back once again to being a one-headed beast following the departure of DeMarcus Cousins, who is now a member of the Golden State Warriors. With Cousins gone, Anthony Davis is now the only All-Star down low for the Pelicans, beginning next season.
The Pelicans prepared themselves for this scenario in some measure, as they played in the entire second half of last season, including the playoffs, without Cousins, who sustained a serious and season-ending Achilles injury back in January, leaving Davis with most of the work in the frontcourt.
Davis and the Pelicans sorely missed Cousins, especially in the second round of the playoffs where they were toyed and abused by the Warriors in five games before getting eliminated. Had Cousins played, the Pelicans could have won more than just a game and perhaps pushed Golden State in the same way the Houston Rockets did in the Western Conference Finals.
Having said that, there are some who speculate that Anthony Davis did not want Cousins playing with him in New Orleans beyond last season – a rumor that Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry squashed himself, per Will Guillory of the Times-Picayune.
Alvin Gentry: Somebody said Anthony Davis didn't want DeMarcus Cousins back, and that couldn't be further from the truth
— Will Guillory (@WillGuillory) July 9, 2018
Alvin Gentry guided the Pelicans to a 17-8 record following the All-Star break despite not having Cousins in the lineup. The Pelicans also managed to sweep the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs, but they simply could not take down the Warriors with Davis as the only functioning All-Star big man for them.
It remains to be known for certain whether Cousins’ move to the Bay Area from the Big Easy has tarnished his relationship with Cousins, but for those hoping that the two former Kentucky Wildcats’ friendship is still unblemished, it’s good to hear what Alvin Gentry had to say.
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