The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly on the verge of bringing in a new leader for their basketball operations, with longtime NBA executive Joe Dumars emerging as the frontrunner to take over the role previously held by David Griffin.
According to sources, the Pelicans and Dumars are expected to enter advanced negotiations in the coming days to finalize an agreement by the end of the week.
Currently, Dumars serves as the NBA’s Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations at the league office, where he has played a key role in overseeing competitive integrity and on-court operations.
A Louisiana native, Dumars has deep ties to the region, making a potential return home particularly meaningful.
If hired, Dumars would bring a wealth of executive experience to the Pelicans. He was the architect of the Detroit Pistons’ championship team in 2004 and served as their lead basketball executive from 2000 until 2014.
Under his leadership, the Pistons became one of the league’s most respected and consistently competitive franchises, reaching six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals from 2003 to 2008.
Following his time in Detroit, Dumars worked in various executive roles with the Sacramento Kings from 2019 through 2022, further enhancing his reputation as a respected voice in front-office circles.
Bringing Dumars aboard would mark a significant shift for the Pelicans as they seek to rebuild trust, stabilize leadership, and reestablish a winning culture after a disappointing 2024-25 season.
The organization is hoping that Dumars’ championship pedigree and experience both at the team and league levels can help set a new tone moving forward.
Pelicans Expected To Hire Joe Dumars As Lead Basketball Executive https://t.co/BtZGWVdHlS
— RealGM (@RealGM) April 14, 2025
