New Orleans Pelicans tap Joe Dumars to lead basketball operations

The New Orleans Pelicans have hired Joe Dumars as their executive vice president of basketball operations

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Pelicans have hired Joe Dumars — a former NBA champion as both a player and an executive with the Detroit Pistons — as their executive vice president of basketball operations.

Dumars, 61, takes over for David Griffin, who was fired on Monday after a six-year stint that coincided with the drafting of power forward Zion Williamson in 2019.

Dumars’ first order of business will be to decide whether to retain coach Willie Green, who has a year remaining on his contract. Next, he’ll have to decide whether the Pelicans continue to build around the injury-plagued Williamson — who has missed more games than he’s played — or deal him elsewhere and move in a new direction.

Dumars played guard for the Detroit teams that won NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. He also ran the Pistons’ front office when they won another title in 2004.

Since leaving the Pistons in 2014, Dumars has worked in Sacramento’s front office and most recently served as executive vice president and head of basketball operations for the NBA.

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