Well, here’s a weird wrinkle to the Anthony Davis trade request saga.

New Orleans Pelicans general manager Dell Demps is employing a negotiating tactic I didn’t see coming when Davis asked out. He’s “not picking up the phone,” according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

Listen, it makes sense for the Pelicans to wait until the summer to trade Davis, because Demps will know exactly where the 2019 first-round picks he’s offered will fall and the Boston Celtics will be able to join the fray, thanks to an odd wrinkle in the collective bargaining agreement that prevents them from pairing Davis and Kyrie Irving right now. In the meantime, New Orleans can tank their own pick.

By all accounts, the Pelicans are perfectly fine with letting the trade deadline pass with Davis still on the roster. And by their own account, they “will do this on our terms and our timeline.”

All that said, I can’t think of a great reason why Demps wouldn’t be picking up the phone right now.

Maybe he’s just so distraught that the Pelicans are losing yet another franchise player under his watch. Still, you kind of still have to do the job. Even if the Pelicans plan to wait until the draft or free agency, it still behooves them to field offers now and get their ducks in order for the summer. What if there is an enticing offer now that won’t be there in July? You have to pick up the phone to find out.

Maybe his phone isn’t working. That’s always a possibility. Try turning it off and back on again.

Maybe Demps just isn’t picking up the phone for certain people (*cough* the Los Angeles Lakers *cough*). ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith reported that San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who purportedly resisted trading Kawhi Leonard to the Lakers, advised Demps to do the same.

Maybe he’s sleeping. I would be too if my other option was to wake up and trade Anthony Davis.

Or maybe the Pelicans disconnected Demps’ company phone, because they are planning to fire the GM whose series of missteps led Davis to lose faith in New Orleans’ ability to win consistently and would like his replacement to pull the trigger on a deal. If that’s the case, they might as well get it over with.

Because somebody should be picking up the phone in New Orleans.

– – – – – – –

Ben Rohrbach is a staff writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @brohrbach

More from Yahoo Sports:
• NFL cancels Maroon 5’s Super Bowl news conference
• Pats’ Brady labeled ‘known cheater’ on broadcast
• Ex-NFL star says he drank Hennessy before NFL games
• Martin: Rams RB never strayed far from West Coast roots