Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry is on shaky ground.
What about New Orleans general manager Dell Demps?
A long-swirling rumor is getting renewed.
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders:A few league sources peg the New Orleans Pelicans as a team that is going to make sweeping changes once their season ends in eight games.
The Pelicans have long been rumored to be the next stop for former Piston’s executive Joe Dumars, who is a Shreveport, Louisiana native and has close ties to the ownership and leadership of the Pelicans and Saints organization.
League sources said recently that Dumars has been active in the NBA front office circles, scouting players and reconnecting to the process.
Demps has done a lousy job building a supporting cast around Davis. Part of the reason trading for the risky DeMarcus Cousins made so much sense: The Pelicans were so underwhelming, they wouldn’t be much worse off if Cousins destroyed their culture and/or bolted in 2018 free agency.
But it’s not too late to salvage Davis’ tenure in New Orleans. He’s locked up for three more seasons, and Cousins is an extremely talented No. 2.
Is Dumars the right man to bring it all together?
He masterfully built the Pistons into the 2004 NBA champions. He also played an integral role in the team’s downfall.
Another factor: There appears to be a mutual respect between Cousins and Dumars, who coveted the big man since he was coming out of Kentucky. That could help the Pelicans re-sign Cousins in 2018.
Dumars’ success should get him general-manager job interviews, but his more-recent failings demand tough questions. I’m unconvinced the Pelicans are scrutinizing Dumars enough, and they’d probably benefit from a more-thorough search.
But Dumars might be a fine hire. Dumping Demps would at least be step in the right direction.