April 16: The Pelicans have officially hired Dumars to lead their front office, announcing in a press release that he has been named their new executive vice president of basketball operations.
“Joe’s achievements as a renowned Hall of Fame player, NBA champion and front office executive are indisputable,” Pelicans governor Gayle Benson said in a statement. “I have a great deal of respect for what Joe has already accomplished as a player and executive, but more importantly I admire his character and leadership. His vast experience and relationships throughout the NBA, along with his strong leadership qualities, will have a tremendous impact on our organization and our goal of winning an NBA championship.
“While at the league, he was involved in every aspect of basketball operations and got unparalleled perspective and knowledge of the most effective personnel, strategy and tactics throughout the league. That will benefit our team immediately as we move forward. I am delighted to welcome Joe, his wife Debbie, and their children Jordan and Aren to the Pelicans.”
In a statement of his own, Dumars said the Pelicans’ roster features “a lot of talent,” adding that he envisions overseeing a “disciplined team that is built on toughness, smart decision-making and a no-excuses mindset.”
April 15: The Pelicans and Joe Dumars are finalizing a deal that will make him the team’s new president of basketball operations, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Charania first reported on Monday that Dumars had emerged as a “serious frontrunner” for the job.
A Hall of Famer as a player, Dumars began his front office career in 2000 as Detroit’s president of basketball operations. He remained in that role until 2014, earning Executive of the Year honors in 2003 and building the Pistons team that won a championship in 2004.
Dumars turned the Pistons into a perennial contender during the first half of his front office tenure in Detroit, making a series of savvy moves to compile a roster led by Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince. The club advanced to at least the Eastern Conference Finals for six straight years from 2003-08, making two NBA Finals appearances during that time.
However, Dumars made his share of missteps while running the Pistons, most memorably drafting Darko Milicic with the No. 2 overall pick in 2003, right ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Detroit had a losing record in each of Dumars’ last six seasons at the helm and wasn’t set up for success following his exit.
Dumars later had a stint in the Kings’ front office, working in a variety of roles in the organization from 2019-22. He joined Sacramento as a special advisor to then-GM Vlade Divac and became the Kings’ interim head of basketball operations when Divac was fired in 2020.
Dumars subsequently transitioned into a chief strategy officer role following the hiring of general manager Monte McNair and held that title for two years before joining the league office as the NBA’s executive vice president of basketball operations in 2022. He has been in that position under commissioner Adam Silver for the last three seasons.
A Louisiana native who played his college ball at McNeese State, Dumars will be returning home for his new job with the Pelicans. He’ll be replacing former executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin, who was let go by the club on Monday following a disappointing 21-61 season.
New Orleans’ 2024/25 season was decimated by injuries, some of which are expected to carry over to ’25/26, but there’s a solid foundation of talent on the roster for Dumars to work with. Forwards Zion Williamson and Herbert Jones, guard Dejounte Murray, wing Trey Murphy, and center Yves Missi are all locked up for multiple seasons, with CJ McCollum set to enter the final year of his contract.
The Pelicans also control all of their own future first-round picks, along with Indiana’s 2026 first-rounder (top-four protected) and the right to swap picks with Milwaukee in 2026 and 2027 (the Bucks’ 2027 pick is top-four protected). New Orleans’ 2025 first-rounder projects to be in the top half of the lottery.
The future of head coach Willie Green is uncertain — reporting on Monday indicated his status would be decided after a new head of basketball operations is hired, so Dumars will presumably be heavily involved in the decision on whether to retain Green or seek a new coach.
Dumars will be tasked with turning a Pelicans team with just one 50-win season (in 2008) and two playoff series victories (2008 and 2018) since its inception in 2002 into a contender.
Is this really a good hire? Looking at Joe Dumar‘s track record I’m not sure it is?
Can’t be any worse than Griffin.
There’s literally people on these threads that could do a better job than many of the GM’s working for teams.
Gary, This is like reaching the depths of internal hell to reek salvation for lost and tortured souls. Was there really nobody that was a better candidate than him? Respect him as a player but there was a reason why Dumars’ teams from Detroit stopped competing in the East after 2008. He’s a big part of why that playoff drought occurred in the first place.
If he had the Pistons as perennial contenders and in the conference finals the last 6 years there, with a championship and another finals appearance, but his first 6 years were losing seasons, would there still be questions on if it was a good hire?
@maddog32 that’s crazy logic. If it was in the inverse he wouldn’t have been fired. It’s very relevant when he was last successful as a GM too. This kind of mindset that someone good years ago means they are always good leads to dumb decisions like hiring Tony La Russa as manager of the White Sox.
Isn’t he in the hall of famed?
“A Hall of Famer as a player, Dumars began his front office career in 2000 as Detroit’s president of basketball operations.”
That’s what I said
That’s what the article said as well.
Ah I see thank you
It’s the front office equivalent of when they hired Van Gundy as coach. Dumars was a great executive 20 years ago, but there’s a reason he’s struggled to get a second GM job long term. He’s over the hill.
No
No what? He is in the hall of fame it says it right there or check Google
Building a winner or a winning culture never changes. It’s basketball not rocket science.
Dumars knows winning and what it takes. That’s what NO needs. He built the Pistons and won a chip. He deserves a shot. NO needs all the help they can get.
Dude is finished
Zion to be traded.
Do you think they’ll be able to get good value for him right now? Or do you have to wait for him to prove he’s kind of healthy. I don’t know how many games he played this year? Maybe now is the time selling at his highest point?
Zion has some clauses where he can be waived and pels would lose no money. I think they can get a good player and a pick back.
I think they’ve been waiting for that increase in value, and every year it’s the same flash of dominance and injuries. I think if they’re set on rebuilding or retooling, they need to decide if Zion will ever get healthy enough to play full seasons, and if they want to keep waiting for that to happen. He’s been here for 5 seasons, and he’s only played 214 of a possible 410 games. I honestly think they should trade him and retool around Murphy and Murray.
Zion’s contract is very team friendly and when he plays he is one of the best players in the league. I think plenty of teams will be interested.
However, I think selling low on Zion is a mistake. He was in good shape this season, I feel like he is close to turning a corner.
Just looked it up.., Zion played 30 games this year…
Might trade CJ McCollum too?
Might be worth holding CJ just to give them some cap space when his deal expires. Dejounte Trey Herb Missi those guys are all on relatively good deals and if they show some kinda potential maybe a free agent big name comes in and gives them that push.
Not to mention CJ being the NBA players rep whatever and Joe having been vice president to Adam silver I’m sure he’s dealt with him a bunch and probably respects him.
Zion seems more likely just to get them more draft picks and stuff and aim for a big free agent and positive future
Good news Zion, you’re leaving New Orleans, yay. Bad news, you’re going to Philly.
As a Sixers fan I’d actually be happy to give up Embiid or PG for Zion atleast timeline wise a group of McCain Maxey and Zion has upside and we aren’t just waiting for deals to expire and starting again
I think a change of scenery would be good for both Embiid and Zion. Ofc, it all depends on Embiid’s knees!
Good hire? Who knows. The history of trying to recycle FO’s that won championships isn’t good (unless Jerry West is in the equation). Although it’s a better history than that of attempted recyclings of HC’s who won championships.
But, as far as Dumars history in DET, he did an historically GREAT job in DET. He took over a team that was wallowing (with a losing record) and quickly turned them into one of the NBA’s elite teams, one that played in 6 straight ECF’s, and won an NBA championship. Most impressively (unlike any other equally successful team in this century), they did it WITHOUT a superstar. That requires near perfect team building. Any team, after a run like that, is going to get old and decline, and, when that happens, it will be a challenge to reset at even a playoff level. A team with a superstar only needs to account for his age, and reset the rest of the roster around him. Dumars didn’t have that option.
Those are great points, but you figure he could do it again after doing it once in Detroit.
Hard to figure out what happened after that great run?
As you all alluded to, you can’t say he just got lucky because without a superstar, you have to practically be perfect in matching skill sets and personalities combined with the right coaching staff. Yet with all those moving parts, Dumars got it done.
History (not me) says that its unlikely that he’ll do it again on that level. But I think he’s a better fit there than the 2k-ish Griffin. Dumars is an old school basketball guy, who understands team building. He’ll also be blunt with everryone, including the coaches, players and fanbase.
I just think the DET team just got old collectively by 2008. Their identity was torn a little by the loss of Ben Wallace in free agency during the run, mostly because with the salary cap, they couldn’t replace him. By 2008, their bigs were ancient (R.Wallace, McDyess, Webber), and the guards were in their 30’s. Like most good teams on a long run, they traded away a number of future assets in attempts to prolong the run. Which obviously makes the rebuild to follow more difficult. He probably stayed too long in the job after it became clear it was going to be a long rebuild.
Wow, great memory and details. Sounds all legitimate. I would agree with the philosophy, though it doesn’t work out that often, and trying to extend a run with those who have done it with you before, even if they’re getting older. Kind of the Warriors thing right now lol
Dxc , for all what you said to occur, which is true, after the chip they paid too much to the non-super stars. Or overspent somewhere. How is that not on Dumars? For a long long time.
No stars, wins chip. Great.
Sounds like a perfect recipe for future success. Maybe the best position ever in the NBA history.
Yet no money for their best player???
What?
They had no other stars, by what most people say. In many ways, that sounds insane.
@Cad – With the NBA payroll rules, it’s actually not a great position to be in relative to the future. It’s much easier to retool around one or two superstars, even if they age along with the rest of the roster. It clarifies who to retool around while maintaining an identity. The term “best player” might not mean as much on a team of relative equals. I’m not suggesting that Dumars did everything right in trying to prevent the fall from being so quick and long. IDK, but perhaps he came to believe the headlines that he had a magic touch based on the special team he put together. That’s always a mistake, there are no magic touches. There’s excellent work, and with a little luck, sometimes you get an outlier good result. You can try to do it again, but DON’T assume you can. Anyway, it makes his legacy more complex, but doesn’t diminish his accomplishment for this initial team, its not like he gave away the store for a year or two. 6 straight ECF’s is a lot.
DAL 2011 was the other championship team this century that arguably didn’t have a superstar or two (it’s arguable, because Dirk and Kidd had been that level of player most of their careers but weren’t by that point). They won towards the end of their window, and then quickly fell apart facing similiar issues.
He got lucky. The fact he passed on Carmelo for Darko and robbed himself of another championship shows you that he didn’t know talent.
The NBA draft is pretty scripted at the top. Any team in the 2nd spot was picking Darko. Plus, its a huge reach to say Melo would have brought another championship, it’s as likely that he might have screwed up the one they did win.
It looks like Joe Dumars was pretty much hired before David Griffin was even fired…
and Gayle Benson really likes Willie Green and doesn’t want to be the one to fire him.
Interesting to see who’ll want to take on this coaching job.
Dumars built the Pistons. Won their third chip. NO is a mess. He can come in and clean this up. There is talent here. The culture and team leadership is nill. Dumars can do this. First course of action ——-
Trade Zion —— bye