Pistons legend linked as top candidate to fill Pelicans' front office void post David Griffin exit
The New Orleans Pelicans are marking a new era in their front office after the firing of basketball operations head David Griffin on Monday. Griffin was with the team since 2019, facilitating the Anthony Davis trade to the LA Lakers, before drafting franchise cornerstone Zion Williamson in the same year’s draft.
With Griffin’s exit, the team is reportedly eyeing former Detroit Pistons star and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Joe Dumars as the next man on the job. ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news on his X account, recounting Dumars’ accolades as an executive.
Dumars has been known as one of the best executives in the NBA, winning the 2003 Executive of the Year award before bagging the NBA championship for the Pistons in 2004 — 15 years after he played a key role in the Pistons’ back-to-back title runs in 1989 and 1990.
He served as the Pistons' president of basketball operations from 2000 to 2014 before moving to the Sacramento Kings in 2019 as a special advisor to the general manager.
After his time with the Kings in 2022, Dumars was signed as the executive vice president and head of basketball operations for the NBA.
If he gets the job in New Orleans, Dumars is seen as the franchise’s attempt to change the culture for the Pelicans, who have struggled to find success with an oft-injured Williamson as their best player.
The Pelicans finished this season as the 14th seed in the Western Conference, winning only 21 games out of 82. The team finished the season with seven straight losses and is expected to be one of the squads to snag the top picks in the upcoming NBA draft.
Pelicans governor Gayle Benson hopes for a “fresh approach” after firing David Griffin
As he fired longtime head of basketball operations David Griffin, the New Orleans Pelicans team governor Gayle Benson revealed that he is looking to have a fresher look at the franchise next season.
“This was a difficult decision, but one that I feel is necessary at this time to bring a fresh approach to our front office and build a culture that will deliver sustainable success, on and off the court,” Benson wrote in a statement.
He also reaffirmed his commitment to finding the right man for the operations post as he eyes bringing an NBA championship to New Orleans.
“I am committed to hiring the right person to lead our basketball operations department and deliver an NBA Championship to our city. That is what our fans deserve. I am truly appreciative of David for his leadership and many contributions to the Pelicans organization and the New Orleans community over the last six years,” he added.
The Pelicans have a chance to start their title goals in the draft, where they have a 12.7% chance to win the top pick, according to Tankathon. By then, the team is expected to have already found a replacement for Griffin.