Kevin Garnett told Anthony Davis straight up he needs to go play with LeBron James
Rumors have speculated about where Anthony Davis will land when he hits free agency in 2020 — started largely by comments LeBron James made earlier this week about wanting to play with Davis.
Those comments even sparked “tampering” accusations — which the Los Angeles Lakers superstar expertly shut down.
And while there’s still plenty of time for Davis to make up his mind about where he wants to land if he decides to leave New Orleans, at least one former NBA star said the decision is a no-brainer.
“I told Anthony Davis this to his face,” Kevin Garnett told USA Today. “‘You are not playing against the guys you are squaring up against every night. You are playing against history, man.’
“Anthony Davis playing in New Orleans, I don’t want to say they are wasted days, but they are non-days. He needs to be somewhere where he can be with another guy and they can have a run at a championship. He has been in New Orleans long enough. It is time for a change now. This is it. No better time to do this.”
Garnett does have a point. While the 25-year-old is currently playing better than most in the league — he’s averaging 28.1 points and 12.6 rebounds while playing nearly 37 minutes per game this season — he is easily the heart of the Pelicans team.
Now, the Pelicans could make moves and bring in enough pieces to help Davis bring a championship to New Orleans. However, the way the NBA is currently set up, Davis probably has a better shot at accomplishing that feat with James in Los Angeles — even if that means he has to embrace the No. 2 role on the team.
That, it seems like, is Garnett’s biggest point.
“When Anthony Davis suits up for the Pelicans, that’s the best the Pelicans are going to be right there,” Garnett told USA Today. “They are capped out. They are playing at the top of the level they can play at. Davis with LeBron James — he goes to another level and that’s scary.
“That’s why he needs to go to a team where he has a chance to hoist the trophy or at least have a chance at going in that direction. He doesn’t have that. Great players need to be with other great players. He is still ‘the guy’ when LeBron is there. They are both ‘the guy.’ That’s why you bring your superpowers together.”
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