Anthony Davis had an MVP like start of the season. However, injuries lured its ugly head, and derailed his progress.

Amid the adversity, forward Ryan Anderson displayed the skills that made him one of the most desired trade chips. Anderson has shown a versatile game that has somehow sustained the Pelicans in Davis absence. They are an even 2-2 since Davis left (they were 8-8 when he played).

Despite Anderson's excellence, the Pelicans future undoubtedly belongs to Davis, who is projected to be a top five player in the near future. While Ryan Anderson is an ideal fit to some teams (Houston Rockets, we hear you) the New Orleans Pelicans need another tough big guy to take the load off Davis long yet seemingly frail knees.

Zach Randolph is like the anti-Anthony Davis. He gets his points and rebounds through grit and toughness and an off-timing shot that opponents can't seem to block. He's not at all athletic, but he is pretty much what an NBA power forward should be.

If they acquire Randolph, Davis would not be as banged up, and can concentrate on swatting the shots and possibly more scoring.

The Memphis Grizzlies would take this deal in a heartbeat. While Randolph has told ESPN that he wants to "retire in Memphis" it's not exactly his call. Memphis is a small market, and the hefty $19 million he'll command next year is tough for the team. What's more, the front office feels like this core, while successful, has already reached its ceiling. That's why they let coach Hollins go. They wanted a different image and build around Mike Conley, Marc Gasol and Tony Allen.

The Pelicans, in turn, have the better trade chip, and to match salaries, they can afford to throw in Austin Rivers (a disappointment) and Al-Farouq Aminu (a reserve at best). Rivers may have a breakout year with a change of scenery and the Grizzlies want more offense to combine with its established team defense. What's more, the Grizzlies want more exposure to Ed Davis, acquired through the Rudy Gay trade (last year, it's an annual thing for Rudy) who also plays power forward.

At this time, the Pelicans are hesitating to pull the trigger, as they believe Anderson could command a little more. Also, Randolph's salary will tie them down until 2015. If it doesn't work, they waste another opportunity to win with Anthony Davis.