Not even the terrible optics surrounding the New Orleans Pelicans' last game before the All-Star break has changed the league's opinion regarding Anthony Davis.

Interim general manager Danny Fery said on Thursday that NBA rules state clearly that the club must continue playing the stranded superstar if he's healthy, a stipulation New Orleans will keep honoring as it reduces his playing time over the final third of the 2018-19 season.

Ferry was appointed interim general manager last week after the firing of longtime general manager Dell Demps.

Davis requested a trade from the Pelicans in late January after indicating he wouldn't re-sign with the team as a free agent in 2020, setting off a frenzy of speculation about where his career will ultimately continue that sparked controversies within other teams.

There remains a widespread belief that the Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James are pulling the strings behind Davis' trade demand, too, a notion supported by the fact that Davis' agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, is a longtime friend of the four-time MVP.

The trade deadline came and went without Davis being dealt, though, putting player and team in the awkward position of moving forward for the season's remainder until they can begin trade discussions anew this summer.

The Pelicans originally planned to sit the six-time All-Star, but were informed by the league office that they would be subject to fines of $100,00 for every game Davis was a healthy scratch.

More fuel was poured on this burning fire in New Orleans' pre-All-Star win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on February 14th, when Davis, after suffering a minor shoulder injury, left Smoothie King Arena with Paul by his side early in the fourth quarter.