Winner: Anthony Davis and the Pelicans
It’s been a long time coming for Davis and the Pelicans. The team has been trying to find a running partner for its All-Star power forward over the past two years. After potential deals fizzled out during the summer, and following a disastrous pre All-Star break showing, New Orleans finally made the move.
The Pelicans took advantage of ineptitude in California’s capital city, acquiring All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins from the Sacramento Kings for pennies on the dollar. They would eventually send rookie top-10 pick Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Langston Galloway and a top-four protected 2017 NBA Draft pick to Sacramento for Cousins.
Now, firmly in the mix for the eighth spot out west, New Orleans features the best front-court combo in the entire NBA. And if we were to make a list of the top-10 players in the Association, two would reside in the Bayou. Cousins and Davis are combining to average 56.5 points, 22.7 rebounds, 7.1 assists, 2.7 steals and 3.8 blocks per game. That’s just astounding.
What makes this trade so much more absurd from the Pelicans’ standpoint is that they now have a distinct advantage should the team earn a spot in the playoffs. Whether it is against Golden State, San Antonio or Houston in the first round, none of those three teams can match what New Orleans brings to the table from the low-post. At the very least, it would make an early-round series very interesting.