As Joe Dumars settles into his role as the New Orleans Pelicans’ new head of basketball operations, one decision looms larger than the rest: the future of former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson.
While Dumars has already begun restructuring the team’s front office, longtime columnist Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com wrote that the path forward hinges on whether the oft-injured Williamson is committed to the franchise — and if not, Dumars should consider trading him.
Dumars noticeably avoided naming Williamson during his introductory press conference. But the subtext was hard to miss, and the message came through loud and clear.
“You’re not going to be successful just with talent alone,” Dumars said. “There are some intangibles that you have to have. You’ve got to figure out: Does this guy really want to be great? Is he going to work? Is he going to show up? Does he have toughness?
“All of those intangible things besides who can run fast, who can jump high, who can shoot the ball. I can see that. Anybody can see that.”
It was a pointed statement — the kind that may as well have come with a nameplate.
In true Dumars fashion, the words were measured but meaningful. And in classic New Orleans fashion, the offseason just got a lot more interesting.
Because if Williamson doesn’t align with Dumars’ vision — and if commitment continues to be a question — the Pelicans might be facing a seismic shift.
Pelicans Begin Overhaul Under Dumars
For the record, the Pelicans’ new era under Dumars is officially underway, and it’s already coming with sweeping changes.
Following the dismissal of David Griffin as head of basketball operations, the franchise moved quickly to install Dumars, a former Pistons star and veteran executive, as Griffin’s successor. Now, the retooling continues behind the scenes.
NBA insider Marc Stein reports that longtime front office staffers Todd Quinter and Gar Forman — the latter a former Bulls general manager and a special advisor to Griffin since 2020 — will not be retained by the new regime.
Swin Cash, a Hall of Famer and one of the most prominent women in an NBA front office, is also out, according to league sources cited by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. The Athletic’s Will Guillory confirmed the news.
Cash had been with the Pelicans since 2019 and was promoted last year to senior vice president of basketball operations, making her one of the highest-ranking female executives in the league.
The moves come on the heels of a dismal 21-61 campaign — the second-worst record in franchise history — and signal Dumars’ intent to reshape the organization in his own vision.
Not surprising, really. New leadership rarely means business as usual. And with Dumars in charge, the Pelicans are clearly cleaning house before they even think about climbing back up the standings.
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