New Orleans Pelicans Hire Joe Dumars As Lead Executive
The New Orleans Pelicans have hired Hall of Famer Joe Dumars as their next President of Basketball Operations. This hire comes just one day after they fired David Griffin, the previous President of Basketball Operations. Under Griffin, the Pelicans went 21-61 this season and failed to show real promise as a team. Facing injuries to key players like Zion Williamson and CJ McCollum. With this hire, the Pelicans organization wants to turn the tide and find some stability.
Joe Dumars’ Career
Dumars was in charge of the Detroit Pistons front office from 2000-2014. In that duration, he led the Pistons to an NBA championship in 2004. He has also worked as Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations in the NBA’s league office since 2022. Dumars is a Louisiana native, making this a homecoming for him.
Dumars was the NBA’s Executive of the Year in 2003, and ESPN named him as the frontrunner for the Pelicans job shortly after Griffin’s dismissal. Dumars was a six-time All-Star player in the Pistons’ back-to-back championship teams in 1989 and 1990.
David Griffin’s Tenure
Griffin, fired by New Orleans Monday, took over the Pelicans before the 2019-20 season after winning a championship with the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers. But his once-promising time in New Orleans ended with a slew of injuries and coaching changes. The Pelicans finished the 2024–25 season with the fourth-worst NBA record (21–61).
Future Direction Under Dumars
A hire such as Dumars could mean a new basketball philosophy for the franchise. Potential new strategies from Dumars include revitalizing the roster and culture through trades and a possible splash move. The biggest player question he will face is what to do with or about Williamson’s injury history. If Williamson can stay healthy for an extended period, they will have something to work with.
On the surface, the Pelicans have some pieces on the roster to work with. However, will they fit together? Players such as Williamson, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Dejounte Murray, and McCollum. Will the Pelicans organization find a way to combine those pieces or use them as trade bait?
Draft Strategy
The Pelicans hope to land a No.1 pick in next month’s draft. They have a 12.5% chance of landing the first overall pick, which undoubtedly will land them Duke standout Cooper Flagg. Receiving the ability to draft a player like Flagg will change the franchise’s trajectory for a long time if the Pelicans can land the No. 1 pick. The Pelicans have a 48.1% chance of landing a top-four pick.
Conclusion
Dumars will need to do something his predecessor could not. Find a way to build a roster to withstand Williamson’s frequent injuries or turn Williamson into a coveted franchise player. The latter seems more likely, seeing as how they’ve invested time, money, and effort in developing him. However, we’ve seen superstars on big contracts traded in today’s NBA. Will this be one of the same scenarios? If so, what will other franchises be willing to give up in a trade for a player like Williamson? Only time will tell.
