The 2025-26 season has been a disappointing one for Pelicans fans, with a roster that’s been a mixed bag, no first-round pick in this upcoming class, and a 25-54 record. It makes sense that fans aren't happy. Oftentimes, when discussing where the majority of the blame for this season should fall, the President of Basketball Operations, Joe Dumars, is the first name mentioned. However, Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks' recent comments about the Detroit Pistons legend may flip that narrative among Pelicans fans.
In a recent article for the Players' Tribune, Brooks recalled an encounter he had with Dumars following his first preseason as a Houston Rocket. Brooks got tangled up on a screen with Daniel Theis and, in his own words, "gave him a nutshot," leading to ejection and a $25k fine.
After the game, Brooks was approached in the locker room by an assistant coach who said, "Hey, Joe wants to talk to you." Having no clue, Brooks picked up the phone to hear Joe Dumars's voice on the other end, “Man, I don’t get it. Why do you think you have to fight all the time? You don’t have to always be the agitator. You can really play basketball. You got game. I see it," said Dumars. Brooks went on to say this moment changed things for him, as Dumars was the first person to really believe in him.
Dumars has been in NBA circles for nearly 50 years, and his recognition of Brooks at a time when many viewed him as just a villain on the court shows his eye for talent. With a young rebuilding team, Dumars' ability to identify talent could help the Pelicans build something special.
Joe Dumars’ eye for talent is already showing in New Orleans
Already, just a short time into his tenure with New Orleans, fans are seeing how good he is at talent evaluation. It starts with Jeremiah Fears, who is tied for the most games played this season, and continues to grow every aspect of his game each and every night. Then there's Derik Queen, and while some fans are still not over Dumars trading away an unprotected 2026 first for him, no one can deny he has the type of guard skills that teams salivate for from a front-court player.
On top of those two lottery picks, he also nailed the team's second-round selection in the 2025 draft in Micah Peavy.
But the biggest testament to Dumars' player identification skills was when he signed Bryce McGowens to a two-way deal at the end of the offseason. He saw something in McGowens that no one else in the league valued, and it paid off for the Pelicans. Not only did the team convert his two-way into a multi-year standard deal, but he also looks like a real piece of the team's future.
Dumars getting a cosign from Dillon Brooks is the cherry on top of what fans have been seeing through the first year of his tenure in New Orleans—Dumars is elite at identifying talent. With a combination of his eye for talent and the elite drafting ability that General Manager Troy Weaver has displayed from his time with the Detroit Pistons, the future looks extremely bright.