We've all heard the saying "heavy is the head that wears the crown." But, did you know that it's not from Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings? It's actually a modernization of a Shakespeare quote, from the play, Henry IV, that reads "uneasy lies the head that wears a crown."
Surprisingly, Shakespeare was being literal about the burdens of being a monarch instead of waxing poetic on the conflicting natures of general-managing a professional sports team. Nevertheless, the saying still fits perfectly for the top position on an NBA franchise.
According to Weak Side Awareness, the average NBA GM tenure lasted 5.6 years when they conducted the study in 2011. A lot has changed since then, including the rise of the "President of Basketball Operations" position. The New Orleans Pelicans lost their general manager, Trajan Langdon, to the Detroit Pistons this summer and replaced him by promotion their former assistant GM, Bryson Graham. It's well-known, though, that Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin is the one that calls the shots on the sports side of things for New Orleans.
This past April, Griffin celebrated his fifth year with the Pelicans. Since his arrival, the Pellies have made the playoffs twice, but have failed to make any real postseason noise in the Zion Williamson era. This upcoming season could turn out to be a "prove it" campaign for Griffin. If New Orleans fails to make the playoffs or flames out early again, it could end his tenure with the Pelicans at just over the average of 5.6 years.
David Griffin needs to take the New Orleans Pelicans to the next level
Since his hiring, David Griffin has made three splashy trades. His decision to acquire CJ McCollum from the Portland Trail Blazers elevated the Pelicans to the next tier, with New Orleans making the playoffs in two of the three years since adding him.
Griffin attempted to replicate that success this summer by trading for Dejounte Murray from the Atlanta Hawks. Trading for another ball-dominant combo guard raised some eyebrows, but it's hard to argue that it was a bad deal. In return, Griffin sent Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., Cody Zeller, E.J. Liddell, and two first-round picks. Compared to some recent deals – see: Rudy Gobert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Dejounte Murray to the Hawks to begin with – I'd say the Pelicans got a bargain on a trade for a borderline All-Star.
Murray is unquestionably a great talent and should have more of an impact than the cumulative efforts of the pieces that the Pelicans sent to the Hawks. That said, it's not a guarantee that New Orleans will be a better team overall, as there's a strong chance that Murray won't be a great fit alongside CJ, Zion Williamson, and Brandon Ingram.
The first blockbuster move that Griffin made in New Orleans was actually trading away franchise legend, Anthony Davis. In that move, he took back an immense package despite his relative lack of leverage during the AD trade drama. Griffin showed belief in a young wing that was a former top-two draft pick who struggled in his first couple seasons as a pro and made sure that Brandon Ingram was a part of that deal. That proved to be a prudent decision, as Ingram's ascension is a primary reason why the Pelicans are looking to contend as soon as possible. But, to get the team over the hump, will David Griffin have to part ways with his prized acquisition?
David Griffin might have to trade Brandon Ingram to save his job
The good news for the Pelicans is that Zion is under contract through the 2027-28 NBA season. The bad news is that contract years are now virtually meaningless in terms of franchise security. Should New Orleans falter in the playoffs again and Zion grow restless this year, there's not much that the team can do to prevent him from demanding a trade and ultimately departing.
Between Zion, BI, CJ, and Murray, the Pellies have enough offensive creation and star power to win a title and then some. They've also got a decent collection of high-level role players with talents like Trey Murphy III, Herb Jones, and Jose Alvarado. But the roster certainly isn't without holes, specifically lacking at center and on a true pass-first point guard.
A couple of years ago, New Orleans held one of the deepest war chests due to the draft capital they acquired from the Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades. Today, that ammunition has significantly dwindled. The only picks they hold aside from their own now are the Milwaukee Bucks 2025 and 2027 first-rounders and the right to swap firsts with them in 2026.
If the Pelicans are going to retool around Zion in the near future, Brandon Ingram will almost certainly have to be sacrificed, both due to his awkward fit with Zion and because he's New Orleans's most valuable (expendable) trade chip. If the team starts slow, in Zion and Griffin's fifth year together, trading Brandon Ingram might be the only way that Griffin sees another year at the helm.