Should the New Orleans Pelicans just give up and relocate to Seattle?

Probably so.

Memphis is below .500 again and reportedly willing to move on from Marc Gasol and Mike Conley, the Grizzlies' two biggest names.

Minnesota couldn't keep Jimmy Butler ... or Kevin Garnett.

Oklahoma City lost Kevin Durant.

Cleveland lost LeBron James – twice.

Utah, Portland, Denver, San Antonio, Orlando ... notice the troubling trend?

Anthony Davis' plan to depart New Orleans ASAP — reported Monday morning by ESPN — is just another punch in the face to the NBA's small-market teams, which can draft major stars but clearly can't keep them.

This is on the league and the players. And the agents and owners.

Where's the faith in the other, lesser half of the NBA?

The unquestionable losers are all the sincere paying fans, who've watched everyone from Carmelo Anthony and Kawhi Leonard to Dwight Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge, Durant and The King coldly depart their original teams in the pursuit of brighter lights, flashy things ... and less money.

The last time the NBA actually tried to make a stand, 16 games were cut from the 82-game regular season in 2011-12. The end result? More small-market chaos and less belief than ever that the Pelicans, Magic, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Indiana Pacers, etc., actually have a shot to win a world championship.

Oh yeah: Golden State also formed a superpower, stealing Durant from tiny OKC (which was stolen away from Seattle).

Hopefully Milwaukee doesn't get too attached to the incredible Greek Freak. There are already mounting rumors that Giannis Antetokounmpo will soon leave the Bucks (and the Bucks' devoted fans) behind.

New Orleans initially did everything right with A.D. He was the No. 1 overall pick of the 2012 NBA draft. He gave the Pelicans a major, marketable, community-friendly star after Chris Paul flew away to Los Angeles (before becoming a Rocket). He developed into the best young big man in the league, becoming a five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, propelling his team to 48-34 a season ago and giving superteam Golden State an impressive fight in the second round of the playoffs.

And we knew the whole time there was no way Davis was sticking around in a city that belongs to the Saints.

The Pelicans intentionally run themselves like a second-rate pro franchise, so they also only have themselves to blame.

But Tom Brady has never left, Peyton Manning was in small-market Indianapolis forever and Drew Brees won a Super Bowl for New Orleans (and was one horrendous NFC Championship non-call away from returning to the big game versus Brady's Patriots this Sunday).

Franchise quarterbacks stay. Parity reigns.

About 10 percent of the NBA's 30 teams have a realistic shot at winning a title when the season begins, and we could easily argue it's really just two teams.

We're fortunate here. Daryl Morey stole James Harden from small-town OKC. The Rockets then became big enough for Chris Paul. After years of searching for a new franchise face, Houston's NBA team has two.

But what's the point in New Orleans or Memphis?

Everything must go perfectly right for the Jazz or Blazers to have a real chance through June.

Orlando? Cleveland?

Yawn.

They're all good American cities.

The only problem is that the NBA doesn't care about all the small-market fans who keep buying into a star-obsessed league.