The New Orleans Pelicans might have been able to swing a blockbuster deal to ship out talisman Anthony Davis if he hadn't publicized his trade request through his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, according to Chris Mannix of The Crossover.

According to the report, Davis' tactics of trying to bully his way out of The Big Easy didn't sit well with management and played a part in their resistance to move him just yet.

“That Davis took this tact is puzzling. Handled quietly, and the Pelicans might have been more open to dealing with the Lakers,” wrote Mannix.

To recap the chain of events, Davis originally asked for a trade on Friday, Jan. 25 but his trade request did not go public until Monday, Jan. 28 — a lapse of three days which Paul used to apply pressure into the situation and give the Los Angeles Lakers a clear window of advantage for his other client and longtime friend LeBron James to grease the wheels on a deal.

The Lakers were aggressive this time, putting all their cards on the table, which they failed to do with the likes of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard — but the gambit backfired, as New Orleans took a page out of the San Antonio Spurs playbook and mostly ignored their Western Conference foes, choosing to wait until the summer.

By doing so, they will allow the Boston Celtics to come in with an even more succulent offer, and likely change the stakes for their franchise player, allowing for an even bigger return.