1. Anthony Davis
Davis more than qualifies for what Riley refers to as landing a “whale.”
Still just 24 after five seasons, Davis made the All-Star game the last four seasons. This past season was Davis’ finest across the board, averaging 28.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game. His efficiency was particularly note-worthy, shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 80.2 percent from the free-throw line.
Unfortunately for Davis, the Pelicans again missed out on the postseason. This represented four out of five seasons in which Davis has not tasted playoff action. In fact, Davis has yet to record a single playoff victory, having being swept by the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors in 2015.
To the Pelicans’ credit, they have at least attempted to bolster their roster with some of their recent moves. In the middle of last season, the Pelicans front office orchestrated a deal to acquire All-Star DeMarcus Cousins. Paired with Davis, this provides the Pelicans with one of the most potent and unique frontcourt’s in the league.
Furthermore, they re-signed starting point guard, Jrue Holiday to a five-year, $126 million contract. At the very least, these moves indicate the New Orleans is doing something to try to be competitive.
However, Davis will be aware as anyone of his strong importance to the success of the Pelicans. When Davis on the floor last season, the Pelicans produced a defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 102.5, which would rank third in the league. But when he was off the court, this number ballooned to 110.1, which would rank 28th.
An elite presence at both ends of the court, Davis simply ticks all boxes that would meet Riley’s stamp of approval. And with the best years of his career ahead of him, swinging a deal for the two-time All-NBA first team member is clearly a significant challenge.
Clearly, this deal represents a significant sacrifice for the Heat. On top of center Hassan Whiteside departing to partner with Cousins, small forward Justise Winslow, and fan-favorite Dion Waiters also make way. Furthermore, the Heat are saddled with Omer Asik, one of the worst contracts in the NBA, to facilitate the deal.
Next: Are the Heat a top-4 team in the East?
Despite this exodus, the Heat would still feature a core of Davis, Olynyk, Dragic and James Johnson.
While the move would clearly drain the Heat of some of its depth, it does land them a generational talent who could lead the franchise from the front for the next decade.