NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Pelicans were losing, as they did more often than not last season, and Anthony Davis wasnt happy about it.Davis had already been relegated to a suit and the sidelines thanks to a season-ending knee procedure and thus was unable to help save the day. Yet when a timeout was called, Tim Frazier, a point guard who had just been plucked out of the D-League to help plug the teams many holes, still looked to the superstar expectantly.AD, are you gonna say something? Frazier, by the expression on his face, seemed to be asking Davis.It caught the 23-year-old All-Star by surprise.I was like, Oh, s--- Davis said at Fridays media day, with Frazier nodding in the back of the room in agreement. I wasnt expecting to say nothin. But it shows you these guys look up and look forward to me saying stuff, because they want to follow, they want to be a part of something special. Ill always remember that. That was eye-opening.With Chris Paul long gone by the time he was drafted in 2012 after his freshman season at Kentucky, Davis was immediately anointed the face of the franchise. The instantaneous burden, he admits now, was a difficult adjustment.I think when I first got here, guys were like, All right. Youre the guy, Davis said. Im only 19 years old as a rookie. It was tough.Even last season, Davis, the youngest player on the roster during his first four seasons in New Orleans, would often lean on Kendrick Perkins, a 13-year veteran with title experience who was signed in large part to serve as the budding stars on-court mentor.Now entering his fifth season -- and facing the very real possibility of being left outside of the postseason field for a fourth time -- teammates and Pelicans brass agree Davis is embracing the role as team leader like never before.I think he realizes more so than anything now that this is his team and that hes the leader of this team, New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry said. All the players accept him as that. I told everyone last year that youre talking about a 23-year-old kid that you want to be the leader of the team, but hes grown so much over the summer. I think that hes more of a vocal leader now. We have conversations all the time, and we text back and forth all the time this summer, from a standpoint of, leadership-wise, what he should do and how he should advance in that area right there, especially with the new guys.Davis said he gave his input over the summer on potential free agents when asked, but he really sprang into action once the retooled roster had officially been assembled, including helping to set up unofficial team workouts in Los Angeles.For being as young as he is, its crazy to see him reach out as much as he does, said Solomon Hill, who signed a four-year, $48 million deal in the offseason. Like when we were in L.A., he had things set up. He had things for us available to do. Even here now, hes getting the team together. Thats something different for being a young guy. You see that from most older guys in the league that say something like, Coach told me to do this.A flair for logistics and management will come in handy this season. While Pelicans general manager Dell Demps reiterated his satisfaction with the teams free-agent face lift -- which focused primarily on swapping high-profile scorers such as?Ryan Anderson for self-made grinders like Hill to finally fix a defense that has been in the bottom 10 throughout Davis tenure -- expectations were strikingly tempered. Unlike last years media day, when New Orleans strutted into training camp as the NBAs new chic outpost, the message this time centered around an attention to detail.Demps, consciously or not, even evoked Sam Hinkie by turning to the deposed?Philadelphia 76ers?GMs now-infamous refrain.All teams in the Western Conference right now are setting goals to get to the playoffs, Demps said. I think right now what were going to focus on is the process. And that process is our daily work, focusing on our defense, making sure were doing the right things. Were playing hard, were playing smart and were playing the right way.Gentrys list of team priorities -- the top three, in order: playing blue-collar desperate; being the best-conditioned team; and playing unselfishly -- had a decidedly back-to-basics feel. Davis admitted a need to find ways to overcome a lack of talent.Its not about having the most talent -- this guy averaged this or that, Davis said. Its about what he can bring to the table to help our team. And all these guys bring something to the table. We want to be kind of like how Boston was last year: not having a lot of talent, but them guys play hard. Thats how they were able to win games. Thats what we want. Thats what we brought it and thats what we look forward to.With the Pelicans pushing the process to the forefront, it is an encouraging sign for a franchise that in the past has prioritized quick results. But the teams immediate future, and whether or not this current regime gets to reap the benefits of a long-term approach, likely rests not on playing like the?Celtics, a team celebrated for its constructive ecosystem, but what the Celtics have worked?tireless over the past years to acquire: a superstar in the prime of his career.Such a predicament is a tall task, even for a 6-foot-10 condor who can drain jump shots. But at least from the outset, Davis, who is locked in for at least four more seasons in New Orleans, appears to be fully embracing all the expectations and burdens that come with his station.I love it here, Davis said. I dont plan on leaving. I guess I fit into that old-school category where I try to win it here where I start my career. Thats always been a goal of mine. Ive never thought about leaving here. People have their own opinions and their own decisions and reasons why theyre making decisions. And I have mine. I love it here. My goal is to bring a championship here. Air Force 1 For Sale . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Air Force 1 Online . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. https://www.cheapairforce1outlet.com/ . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. Air Force 1 2020 . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. Air Force 1 Discount .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights.TORONTO -- Toronto Raptors president and general manager Masai Ujiri continued to remake the clubs roster Monday with the addition of guard D.J. Augustin. Augustin, whose one-year deal was first reported last week, adds another defensive player to the cupboard for head coach Dwane Casey. The 25-year-old, who was selected ninth overall at the 2008 NBA draft by the Charlotte Bobcats, spent last year with the Indiana Pacers. "He was one of the young, experienced point guards we thought could come and bring something to our program," Ujiri said after Augustin met the media for the first time at Air Canada Centre. "I like the experience. Hes been a starting point guard in the NBA. (He) struggled at times a little bit last year. Good outside shooter for the most part and he can run a team." In 358 career games with Indiana and Charlotte, Augustin has averaged 9.6 points and 4.0 assists in 24.5 minutes. The New Orleans natives numbers were down in 2012-13 (4.7 points, 2.2 assists, 16.1 minutes in 76 games) while coming off the bench for the Pacers, who made it to the Eastern Conference final. "Winning solves a lot of problems. With the Pacers we won a lot games so the atmosphere was a lot better and guys worked hard," Augustin said. "We took it serious. In Charlotte it was a little different, with losing you get down. "Hopefully here we can get going on the right track and guys can have that winning atmosphere." Augustin, who is expected to back up starting point guard Kyle Loowry with the Raptors, sees potential in Toronto.dddddddddddd. "Theres a group of young guys who are pretty good and have a chance to be very good -- hard workers," he said. "Thats the type of person I am and I want to come in and work hard with those guys and try and change things here in Toronto and make it to the playoffs." Augustin plays in the summer against Lowry and expects there to be chemistry with his new teammate. "(Lowry) is a tough guard," he said. "Hes going to help me on defence, just being tough and being vocal out there and I think we can help each other a lot." The University of Texas product joins former Pacers teammate Tyler Hansbrough, who signed a two-year deal with the Raptors earlier this month. Ujiri has had a busy off-season since taking over basketball duties from the departed Bryan Colangelo. His biggest move came when he traded under-performing centre Andrea Bargnani to the New York Knicks for Steve Novak, Marcus Camby, swingman Quentin Richardson and a couple of draft picks. The club also recently signed guard Dwight Buycks, averaged a team-best 18.0 points a game last season for Gravelines in the French Pro A league in 2012-13. Augustin, meanwhile, says he has learned a lot in his five seasons in the NBA. "Its a business. The NBA is a business but youve got to represent yourself well," he said. "Its a job and youve got to take every day seriously and go practise hard and play hard and things will work out." ' ' '