SAN ANTONIO — This won’t be the first time Anthony Davis staged a dramatic return to New Orleans. Remember last spring?



While rehabbing from a finger injury in January, Davis had requested a trade from the Pelicans through his agent, Rich Paul. A trade, ideally, to the Lakers. It was an act that temporarily derailed two franchises, sowing distrust in the Lakers locker room and pitting Davis against the organization that drafted him. In that moment, it was clear that Davis’ tenure with the Pelicans was all but over. Except for one little detail. He got healthy. The NBA insisted that Davis either play or the Pelicans pay a reported $100,000 fine for each game he missed.



It was awkward, to say the least.



So, on Feb. 8, Davis started at center for the Pelicans in front of the home fans at Smoothie King Center. He was booed during introductions and on each subsequently occasion that he touched the ball.



That hostility served as a mere...