Monday, Jan 28th, 2019

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Written while listening to Louie Prima's Bourbon Street Blues

The New Orleans Pelicans have officially failed

(Photo cred: The Advocate)On July 1, 2019, Anthony Davis would have been -- and technically still is -- eligible to sign a supermax extension with New Orleans worth $240 million over five years, which, of course, is stupid money.But Davis, who is under contract through 2019-20, has leaked throughout the season that maximum money isn’t his priority, and that winning is.He backed that up on Friday when his agent, Rich Paul, notified the Pelicans that Davis would not be signing that extension, and wants a trade, news that leaked this morning.The Pelicans, who looked like a competent, upward-pointing team after winning a playoff round last spring for the first time since 2008, have stumbled to a 22-28 record this season despite a decent roster to fit around Davis.But the charade appears over, and while this news must pain the Pelicans and their fans, it can’t come as a surprise, and it feels like the final strike for a floating franchise that never gained much traction, or a semblance of a fanbase, in a football-crazy city and state.Last year, with a 48-win team and a transcendent player, the Pelicans ranked 25th in the league in attendance. Without Davis, it will get ugly, fast. Basketball-hungry Seattleites might want to start vulturing the situation.As for the Davis sweepstakes, it’s important to remember this is not a free agent situation. The Pelicans do not have to gift wrap him to the Lakers, who only have a small collection of confusing, young players to give away, anyway.And, while the Celtics seem like the best trade partner, they can’t actually offer a trade for Davis until July 1 because of “The Derrick Rose Rule,” which disallows a team from having two contracts that are extensions of rookie deals that take up 30 percent of the salary cap, with Kyrie Irving being the current one.The Celtics and Lakers, both for winning purposes and historic intrigue, make the most sense while also making little current sense. But Davis presumably doesn’t want to be sent to another small market team, so this might take longer than he hopes, which might turn into a we’re-staying-together-for-the-kids situation.[READ: Who’s to blame and what’s next for the Pelicans?]

 So, Howard Schultz wants to run for president    

Starbucks peddler and custom gift card connoisseur Howard Schultz made a Twitter account yesterday so he could terrorize the country with this little nugget: “I love our country, and I am seriously considering running for president as a centrist independent.”In the Venti®-sized picture, this is mostly unremarkable, but it’s worth noting that Schultz owned the Seattle Supersonics for a hot minute there in the early-to-mid-2000s, and is the very reason the Supersonics no longer exist.He guaranteed a title for the 2002 season when the 2002 Supersonics were not good; he replaced Christmas bonuses with Starbucks cards that had a value of $3.50; he tried to con the public into buying his new rich person-oriented stadium; and he sold the team to its current ownership, of which he halfheartedly made promise “to make a good-faith effort” to try and keep the team in Seattle.Of course, they “tried” for a season then moved it to Oklahoma, which was the plan all along.So, if Schultz wins the 2020 election, expect for Starbucks branding on the backdrop of his SOTU addresses, and for us to be owned by Canada before his second term.[READ: Howard Schultz gave out $3.50 Starbucks gift cards: An insider's notes on the shabby death of the Seattle SuperSonics]

The Grip Reads

Playing For Keeps: Michael Jordan and the world he madeBy David HalberstamRead this book, and you’ll know everything there is to know about Michael Jordan and his rise to uber fame in the 1990s. And, perhaps most impressive, Halberstam wrote this account without ever having interviewed Jordan.Preview the book or add it to your wish list on Amazon.

George’s Jam

Paul George’s emphatic dunk on Giannis Antetokounmpo in yesterday’s 118-112 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. PG finished with 36 points.

[

READ:

Paul George is building a case in James Harden’s shadow]

  Quick Hits

• Over the weekend, Jackie MacMullan casually dropped that LeBron’s camp “would prefer a coaching change.”

• Last night, Luka Doncic became the first teenager to record two triple-doubles in a season.

• Kevin Durant is returning to OKC for Nick Collison’s jersey retirement.

• Knicks fans, who used to understand good basketball, gave Carmelo Anthony a standing ovation last night.

• The Spurs’ Davis Bertans, who owns the highest 3-point percentage in the league, is not allowed to partake in the 3-point contest because “he didn’t take enough 3s.”

• Brook Lopez is still draining step-back 3s.

• After hours of suspense, Dennis Rodman released a confessional video that trolled the internet.

• A closer look at how James Harden creates space.

• The Warriors have won 10 straight games and DeMarcus Cousins is making these kinds of passes.

• Despite being on the trading block, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley are still playing with passion. Here’s them a day ago.

• Donovan Mitchell has a cannon.

 Concrete Reads

• NBA teams are running and gunning. And their critics are yawning. [New York Times]

• James Harden’s transcendent step-back [The New Yorker]

• From December: Zach Lowe was spot-on in predicting the AD sweepstakes [ESPN]

  Podcast Pick

Steph Curry x The Woj Pod [ESPN]

Must-watch games

Tonight, 1/28

Tuesday, 1/29, TNT