Since Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver became the lead decision-makers for the New Orleans Pelicans, it’s hard to argue that there has been any bigger laughingstock in the NBA. Pretty impressive for a pair that took over only a year ago. The offseason was supposed to provide a change of pace as Dumars and Weaver were expected to have a plan and make some moves to excite the fan base. That didn’t happen. The two moves they made were drafting Jaron Pierre Jr. at No. 58 and re-signing DeAndre Jordan.
Initially, the reaction to the Pelicans re-signing DJ was mixed. On one hand, fans were happy to see such an important veteran return. On the other hand, using one of the team's only two roster openings on a 37-year-old who isn’t expected to play was a tough pill to swallow.
However, this signing has entered a whole new world of bad after NBA insider Jake Fischer revealed the full details of the deal. Jordan’s deal is at an average annual value of nearly $4 million. The kicker, Marc Stein reported that the front office was convinced that Jordan had one-year interest elsewhere that he was prepared to accept, and they were worried about losing him. Yes, they were afraid of losing someone who played 12 games last season and is in the twilight of his career.
DeAndre Jordan’s contract is a symptom of a bigger issue
I take back one of my earlier comments about Dumars entering the offseason without a plan, because that’s just wrong. Marc Stein reported that the Pelicans made it a priority to outbid other teams for Jordan, showing they had goals and aspirations this offseason. What I should’ve said is that instead of Dumars not having a plan, he had one, but it was just the worst plan of all time.
You mean to tell me that a guy who has climbed the mountaintop twice as a player and then goes on to achieve the same success in his first front office role is running the Pelicans this poorly? It just doesn’t make any sense. Obviously, this roster has talented players that opposing teams would kill to have, but it’s not working in New Orleans. The idea that this group can make real noise with the right staff in place and a healthy roster is fun, but it’s not realistic.
Sure, we see teams struggle like the Pelicans for a few years, run it back, and eventually see things click. The difference is that those are young teams, ones with players all on the same timelines—that’s not what New Orleans has. They have a collection of players, the majority of whom are in the prime of their careers, and don’t have much higher ceilings than they currently have.
At the minimum, Dumars could have addressed the center position or brought in more floor spacers to give fans something to buy into. But to keep banking on internal growth from a group that has won 47 games in a two-season span is flat-out lazy work.
Joe Dumars tried to sell fans on the idea that he was building for the future and was going to make Pelicans basketball great. But all he and Troy Weaver have done since arriving is help ownership reach the bottom line and make the franchise even more laughable than it was when he took it over. And re-signing DeAndre Jordan, the front office's No. 1 priority this summer, is only the latest piece of the comical act that has been the Dumars era in New Orleans.
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