League: Pelicans told they had to play Davis

The NBA said Monday it required the Pelicans to play Anthony Davis, their disgruntled All-Star forward, after he was not dealt before Thursday’s trade deadline because of “league rules governing competitive integrity.”

The Pelicans initially planned to sit Davis for the rest of the season once they responded to his request to be traded by deciding to keep him beyond Thursday’s deadline, according to two people familiar with New Orleans’ stance.

The league office said it intervened because of its rules about resting healthy players, which are in place largely to prevent teams from tanking to improve their draft position.

The Pelicans maintain that they were trying to protect Davis from a serious injury during the final 28 games before the offseason, when they do intend to trade him, according to the people.

Mike Bass, an NBA spokesman, said “the Pelicans were advised that the team had not identified a proper basis” to hold Davis out of games.

“League rules governing competitive integrity therefore require that he be permitted to play,” Bass said.

Bass also denied an ESPN report from last week that said the Pelicans were threatened by the league with pergame fines of $100,000 if they sat Davis when he wanted to play.

Davis, who can be a free agent in 2020, requested a trade from the Pelicans on Jan. 28 but did not insist that he be traded before the deadline.