In only a year, the New Orleans Pelicans have developed a routine for their trips here for the NBA’s draft lottery. Hours before they learn their fate, the organization’s brass sits down at a table at the famed Carnegie Deli in midtown.
They did so last year. They did so again this year, only with Anthony Davis also taking a seat at the table. Because if last year’s meal was followed by the boon of a No. 1 pick, some things can become a tradition rather quickly.
For the Pelicans, Tuesday is a return to the site of their lucky night. For Davis, it is a pilgrimage to the spot where his NBA journey began.