Subscribe
Follow Us
The New Orleans Pelicans have made the decision to relieve David Griffin of his duties as executive vice president of basketball operations, the team announced on Monday morning.
“After considerable thought and evaluation, I have decided to relieve David Griffin of his duties as executive vice president of basketball operations,” Pelicans Governor Gayle Benson said in a press release. “This was a difficult decision, but one that I feel is necessary at this time to bring a fresh approach to our front office and build a culture that will deliver sustainable success, on and off the court.
“I am committed to hiring the right person to lead our basketball operations department and deliver an NBA Championship to our city. That is what our fans deserve. I am truly appreciative of David for his leadership and many contributions to the Pelicans organization and the New Orleans community over the last six years. We wish David and his wife, Meredith, and their family all the best moving forward.”
Griffin, 52, joined the Pelicans in 2019 to help steer the franchise in the right direction. He was responsible for major franchise decisions like trading Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers and drafting Zion Williamson first in the 2019 NBA Draft.
With Griffin at the helm of the Pelicans' front office, this organization went 209-263, posting just two winning seasons and appearing in the playoffs twice. New Orleans failed to win a playoff series both times. This season, the Pelicans went just 21-61, the second-worst season in franchise history.
Hall of Famer and head of NBA basketball operations Joe Dumars is considered to be a serious frontrunner to replace Griffin, league sources told ClutchPoints. Dumars, a Louisiana native, was the 2003 NBA Executive of the Year and won a championship with the Detroit Pistons as their lead executive in 2004.
Whether it's Dumars or someone else, a new voice will now take over this organization's front office at a pivotal time.
There has been plenty of discussion surrounding Williamson's future in New Orleans, and roster moves will need to be made since Dejounte Murray won't be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season as he recovers from an Achilles injury. Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III will also be working their way back from shoulder injuries during the offseason.
Article Continues Below
Williamson is the major question anyone taking over for Griffin will need to address. Since being drafted first overall in 2019, Zion has missed 268 games while playing in only 214. Although he is a force when healthy, this has been a concern for the Pelicans and Williamson.
Despite having success through the draft and in terms of player development, the lack of immediate improvement on the court led to Griffin's dismissal on Monday. Now that Griffin has been fired, all eyes are on head coach Willie Green and his future with the organization.
Plenty of noise has been made about Green's future with the Pelicans. In four seasons, the head coach has gone 148-180, taking New Orleans to the playoffs two times. Benson was set to meet with high-ranking officials in the Pelicans organization on Monday to discuss Green's future, league sources told ClutchPoints.
However, it appears as if Green's job security is momentarily safe, as he will remain with the organization for now, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic. When the Pelicans find Griffin's replacement, they will have the final say on whether Green remains with the franchise.
Once again, the Pelicans are heading back to the drawing board in order to try and become a relevant franchise in the Western Conference. New Orleans currently owns a 12.5 percent chance of landing the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft via the draft lottery.
(ClutchPoints' Pelicans & Grizzlies reporter Chris Dodson also contributed to this report)
