New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry knew his franchise was in for some trouble once Anthony Davis decided to sign with new agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports ahead of the start of the 2018-19 season.

In a way, the writing was on the wall, and Davis' choice of switching agents only spilled the possibility of changing places soon enough as well:

“I'm a realist,” Gentry told ESPN's Jackie MacMullan. “When Anthony signed with Klutch Sports, I knew what was going to happen. They told me, ‘No, we're not trying to get him traded,' but we all realized it was just a matter of time.

“I understand that some players feel the need to move on. With Anthony, it could have and should have been handled differently. If it was, I would have been OK with the situation.”

Gentry obviously was hit with a wave of questions following the trade deadline, as Davis was still on the roster and his immediate future with the franchise was as uncertain as it had ever been. The Pelicans ultimately chose to play him less and keep him out of fourth quarters to avoid a fine by sitting him out altogether, but the fact remained that Davis' trade request derailed Gentry's season, as he now had to please the league office as well as the front office above him.

General manager Dell Demps was soon after fired by the organization, but the damage had already been dealt the minute Davis chose to bolt for Klutch — a move Gentry saw coming from the very start.