Calipari shuts down inevitable Pelicans rumors: 'Not happening'
The prospect of coaching what might become the most dominant frontcourt in NBA history won't be enough to coax John Calipari out of Lexington.
"Not happening," the Kentucky coach told "The Dan Patrick Show" on Monday, according to Jon Hale of the Courier-Journal, hours after news of the DeMarcus Cousins trade to New Orleans broke.
Cousins is set to join fellow big man and Wildcats alum Anthony Davis in the Big Easy, giving the Pelicans two of Calipari's finest collegiate products. Calipari has remained close to both players during their pro careers, and was coincidentally tweeting photos with both families during the All-Star Game.
While he doesn't intend to roam the Pels' sideline at any point, Calipari did offer a thought on how he would deploy the two stars simultaneously.
"Anthony [Davis] can play the 3. He doesn't have to play the 4. DeMarcus [Cousins] could play a small 5." - John Calipari on Pelicans
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) February 20, 2017
"The thought of it, that they're so different yet they're big, they're talented, and they're skilled," an imaginative Calipari added on SportsCenter, as relayed by Tyler Thompson of Kentucky Sports Radio. "The biggest thing is both of them want to win."
However, he also cautioned that Cousins and Davis may not mesh overnight.
"Everybody's gotta calm down because it will take them time to get to know one another and try to figure out how to play off one another and how they promote each other," Calipari said. "That may take some time."
Calipari coached the New Jersey Nets for two-plus seasons in the late-1990s, and has since turned down several opportunities to jump back into the NBA.