I think we all agreed that it is in the Pelicans best interests to refuse to play AD.
That said, apparently we're being forced. There's no actual rule that enforces that players of certain quality must play, but the league wants it to happen and they are ''strongly suggesting'' (by which I mean, threatening) that AD should be played, or else there maybe consequences in the form of fines and possibly even taking draft picks.
In that circumstance, I think we have to follow the pattern outlined by Shamit and Mason on In The N.O., when they say that we have to be ''maliciously compliant'' about this. Toronto has been resting Kawhi on back to backs all season: fine, we can rest AD every back to back that remains. If AD gets a ding, or goes to the locker room at any point, do not play him the rest of that game. If he wants to come back in during the second half, say no. He's been injured. Questionable to return means not returning from hereon out. If we're down 15 by the end of the third, he shouldn't touch the court in the 4th. Minutes should be capped at 30, maximum. If he gets a ''contusion'', that should mean missing at least three games for injury management. There are 28 games remaining. He should miss at least 6 of them purely for load management and rest on back to backs. If we also hold him out for dings, and injury management, that could possibly mean him losing 10-12 of the 28 games remaining.
Then, of course, just like any other tanking team, we can sit AD for the last five games of the season due to shutting down superstars. If the NBA wants to fine us for it, they'll have to fine all of the other teams who will inevitably shut down superstars as the tank rolls to a close.
The league can force us to play him, I guess, but unless they want to make it blatantly clear that they're applying different rules to us than anyone else, the team can find ways to have AD sit for maybe as many as 15 of the remaining 28 games. The only problem will be convincing Gentry to do it, because with the way he played Randle last game, I'm certain that Gentry still wants to try and win games and make the playoffs, team future be damned.