Pelicans hire WNBA legend Swin Cash as Front Office Executive

The New Orleans Pelicans continue to fill their front office with winning reputations. Swin Cash has been hired by the team to lead from an executive role.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and NOLA.com’s Andrew Lopez are both backing up the news first reported by Zach Lowe. Nothing is more NBA official than that trifecta of media members. The New Orleans Pelicans will bring on Swin Cash for a senior executive position.

Yahoo Sports believes this would make Cash the second female executive in an assistant general manager position. Cash will also be among the highest paid executives in the same role, regardless of gender. According to Lowe’s initial report:

"The team will name Cash vice president of basketball operations and team development, sources said. She will scout, help guide player development on and off the floor, and assume other roles within the organization."

Cash comes to the Pelicans from the New York Liberty. She was the Director of Franchise Development for the team. The challenges of the WNBA in the Big Apple may be different from what lies ahead with the Pelicans.

Still, smaller leagues and small market teams do have some similarities. There is no reason to believe Swin Cash cannot excel in this position. She sports a winner’s resume if there ever was one, and will bring those winning habits to New Orleans.

It is unknown whether she is too late to have any input on the Anthony Davis trade negotiations.

Off the court, Cash has those media marketing connections back in New York plus her Hollywood connections from her acting career.

She has also taken a fine for wearing Black Lives Matter gear during warm-ups and speaking her mind to the media afterwards. She will stand behind players with a voice, just as Griffin promised all in the organization should feel free speaking up.

Developing a winning culture requires developing a championship routine. The new front office is stocked with individuals who have experience winning, thick skin, and perseverance.

In the Pelicans’ hierarchy,  Cash will hold the lofty title of Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development. Cash will take an active role in scouting and overseeing player development training, among other duties.

In theory, she would be on the same path as Trajan Langdon was when he served as assistant general manager in Brooklyn. Langdon helped build the Nets from the ground up. Both Langdon and Cash come from New York’s “second” team or league option. That shared experience should help the small market Pelicans grow their brand.

Swin Cash is a two-time NCAA champion, and also won Olympic gold twice. She won a FIBA championship and hoisted the WNBA trophy at the end of three seasons.

She is very respected in the basketball community for her knowledge of the game, but admired for her work away from the courts. Cash is involved in many community outreach programs, and will be an asset to the city at large.

The more the New Orleans Pelicans add people and develop partnerships, the more fans realize how much this franchise was missing. Gayle Benson is showing her commitment to building a winning culture. She’s filled the building with only winners, and that takes cash. Welcome to town, Swin Cash!