The New Orleans Pelicans sent waves around the NBA landscape when they announced that they had fired longtime Executive Vice President David Griffin. After a tumultuous season ravaged by injuries that infected practically the entire core roster, the team was in desperate need of a shakeup. There was speculation regarding who the scapegoat would be.
Turns out it would be Griffin. That doesn't mean that the other candidates are suddenly safe now. With the Benson Family showing that they're still paying attention to the Pelicans and willing to make meaningful changes, Head Coach Willie Green, Zion Williamson, and others should be feeling the heat too.
For now, it appears that everyone not named David Griffin is safe, at least through the first day of New Orleans's offseason. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Willie Green is expected to remain the coach while the Pelicans search for Griffin's replacement. Of course, the new shot-caller may want to pick his own head coach to begin his regime. Rumor has it that the Pelicans already have their choice in mind, though, and it's good news for Willie Green, as it's someone he has a lot in common with.
Joe Dumars expected to become Pelicans' new lead basketball executive
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the New Orleans Pelicans have already chosen their replacement for David Griffin. Considering that the news broke just a few hours after Griffin's firing was announced, it seems as if the franchise already had Joe Dumars in mind when they parted ways with Griff.
The Pelicans and Dumars are expected to engage in conversations to finalize a deal by the end of the week, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/Dgzvaanwkd
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 14, 2025
If that name seems familiar, it's because Dumars has put his fingerprints all over the NBA. He played 14 years in the league, spending every season with the Detroit Pistons and won two championships with the "Bad Boys." In his prime, he was a prolific two-way star who was a prototype for the 3-and-D-plus archetype that every team lusts for in today's NBA. At his peak, he was putting up nearly 20 points per game while garnering MVP and DPOY votes for one of the most dominant teams in history.
While his accomplishments on the court simply can't be called into question, his portfolio as an executive is a bit murkier. He was hired by the Pistons for his first front office job back in 2000, tasked with rebuilding Detroit after a lackluster era built around Grant Hill. In his time as general manager, he oversaw some of the best teams in franchise history, two Finals appearances, and a championship in 2004.
He built those Pistons teams from the ground up. He traded for Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, and Rasheed Wallace. He drafted Tayshaun Prince. Unfortunately for Dumars, he also selected Darko Milicic in the infamous and historic 2003 NBA Draft, ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Between that hiccup and the Pistons' inability to keep pace with the rising Eastern Conference after 2004, and the team's fade into irrelevancy towards the end of his tenure, Dumars's reputation took a considerable hit by the time he stepped down as Detroit's GM in 2014.
Following his departure from the Pistons, Dumars took on several roles for the Sacramento Kings between 2019 and 2022, but he didn't hold any final say in their basketball decisions. Most recently, he's been serving as the Head of Basketball Operations for the entire NBA, a position he's held now for three years.
This could be a chance for Dumars to revive his reputation as an NBA architect. He found plenty of success in his early days at the helm for the Pistons, but, unfortunately, his worst moments have become much more notable than his greatest hits. Perhaps his experience overseeing the entire league could give the Pelicans some privileges unbeknownst to other organizations.
Willie Green should be relieved if Dumars is officially hired by New Orleans. Green spent four years playing for Detroit Mercy and building his case as an NBA prospect, overlapping with Dumars's time as general manager for the Pistons. That Motor City connection might just be enough to keep Green in town, as well as their shared experience as NBA sharpshooters.
For everyone else involved with the Pelicans, this move surely has them on edge. The New Orleans faithful aren't exactly accustomed to things going well for them and their basketball team, so hiring someone with Dumars's reputation and past blunders seems like asking for disaster. It'll be especially interesting because they're slated to land a top-four pick this summer. If the Pelicans hire Dumars, he could be making his first top-four selection since picking Darko. Let's hope this next pick is a palate cleanser for Dumars's draft history and not another bust to add to the collection.