Joe Dumars emerges as frontrunner to replace David Griffin in Pelicans’ front office

NEW ORLEANS — Hours after the New Orleans Pelicans parted ways with executive vice president of basketball operations, David Griffin, reports surfaced that the organization is close to finding his replacement.

ESPN Senior NBA Insider Shams Charania said the Pelicans are “expected to engage in conversations” with Joe Dumars about the top executive job.

Charania added that both parties could “finalize a deal by the end of the week.”

Dumars is a Shreveport native who was Detroit’s first-round pick out of McNeese State University in the 1985 NBA Draft.

As a player, Dumars was a two-time NBA champion and a six-time NBA All-Star selection.

Dumars’ playing career ended in 1999, and he quickly transitioned to the front office, where he was named the Pistons’ president of basketball operations before the 2000 NBA season.

He was the NBA Executive of the Year in 2003 and built a Detroit Pistons team that won an NBA title in 2004.

Under Joe Dumars, the Pistons organization saw six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearances (2003–2008) with two conference titles in 2004 and 2005. Detroit won 595 games with 73 playoff victories.

Joe Dumars held that position for 14 years before taking on a role with the Sacramento Kings (2019-2022) and then with the NBA as executive vice president and head of basketball operations.