The most important day in New Orleans Pelicans franchise history could go down as Jan. 28, 2019.
It’s the day Anthony Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Davis wasn’t going to sign a super-max extension with the Pelicans this offseason worth $235.5 million over five years. He wanted out of New Orleans. The trade request had been made.
It was the impetus the Pelicans’ organization badly needed as it forced owner Gayle Benson and her team to make moves.
It was a low point for the organization. There were talks about the team moving because the Davis saga was going to end basketball in New Orleans. Players and agents around the league didn’t exactly view the Pelicans in high regard.
The Pelicans were just Benson’s other team.
“I think we had a perception that externally from not being here, the perception was sort of that the Pelicans were the stepchild of the Saints,” executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.
“I think agents felt that way. I think players at other teams were being told that. I think now it’s very clear that this is going to be an organization and a franchise that is pushing the boundaries of the future. I think people get that now.”
To get things started, Benson and the Pelicans moved on from general manager Dell Demps in February, and the team embarked on a national search for its next leader.
The winner of that race was, of course, Griffin. And since his hire, the Pelicans have been on a steady winning streak.
Griffin was a highly sought-after executive who turned down higher-profile jobs in New York and Philadelphia because it wasn’t the perfect fit for him. He found that in New Orleans.
He then lured away trainer Aaron Nelson from the Phoenix Suns. Nelson will carry the title of vice president of player care and performance in with the Pelicans.
And oh, by the way, the upgrades coming to the training room will be a little more expensive than previously thought. After Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry threw out an $800,000 number last week, Griffin told NOLA.com the project doesn’t have a final cost just yet but will be more in the $4.8 million range instead.
The biggest victory of all came on May 14 when the Pelicans struck gold with just a 6% chance to come away as the winners of the NBA Lottery and the coveted No. 1 pick, which the team will almost assuredly use on Duke’s Zion Williamson next month.
And on Sunday the Pelicans successfully convinced Trajan Langdon to leave the Brooklyn Nets to become their new general manager.
“We’re going to attract and gather as much of the best and brightest as we can here,” Griffin said on Tuesday’s conference call to introduce Langdon. “The commitment that Mrs. Benson has made through this process is total, and she’s been as supportive as you can hope for an owner to be. I think that commitment kind of appealed to Trajan’s thought process as well.”
That thought process is permeating throughout the league as well.
When Griffin was in Chicago last week for the lottery, he met with nearly every agent he could. And he came away thinking that New Orleans was being perceived in a different light.
“I think it’s very safe to say the global appreciation of New Orleans Pelicans basketball is radically improved,” Griffin said. “It starts with what Mrs. Benson did. I think we’ve been building on it every day.”
After the Pelicans secured the No. 1 pick, the Pelicans’ front office celebrated late into the night at a local restaurant just a 10-minute walk from the Hilton Chicago where the lottery was held.
Griffin admittedly didn’t get much sleep. But just a few hours after laying his head on a pillow, he was up in the morning doing what needed to be done in order to move the franchise along.
He met with agents. He met with draft picks. He met with his staff. It’s an energy that his entire staff is feeling, and the outlook internally is much brighter than it was months ago.
“It’s certainly nice to have people buying into what we’re trying to do,” Griffin said. “We’re just trying to stack up one success after another to change the vision people have of us externally.”
“Frankly, I think what it really is is it’s stacking one success after another and one investment after another. This is Mrs. Benson’s team now.”
Griffin stopped, laughed and then added, “There’s a new sheriff in town and her name is Gayle.”
It’s the day Anthony Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Davis wasn’t going to sign a super-max extension with the Pelicans this offseason worth $235.5 million over five years. He wanted out of New Orleans. The trade request had been made.
It was the impetus the Pelicans’ organization badly needed as it forced owner Gayle Benson and her team to make moves.
It was a low point for the organization. There were talks about the team moving because the Davis saga was going to end basketball in New Orleans. Players and agents around the league didn’t exactly view the Pelicans in high regard.
The Pelicans were just Benson’s other team.
“I think we had a perception that externally from not being here, the perception was sort of that the Pelicans were the stepchild of the Saints,” executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin told NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.
“I think agents felt that way. I think players at other teams were being told that. I think now it’s very clear that this is going to be an organization and a franchise that is pushing the boundaries of the future. I think people get that now.”
To get things started, Benson and the Pelicans moved on from general manager Dell Demps in February, and the team embarked on a national search for its next leader.
The winner of that race was, of course, Griffin. And since his hire, the Pelicans have been on a steady winning streak.
Griffin was a highly sought-after executive who turned down higher-profile jobs in New York and Philadelphia because it wasn’t the perfect fit for him. He found that in New Orleans.
He then lured away trainer Aaron Nelson from the Phoenix Suns. Nelson will carry the title of vice president of player care and performance in with the Pelicans.
And oh, by the way, the upgrades coming to the training room will be a little more expensive than previously thought. After Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry threw out an $800,000 number last week, Griffin told NOLA.com the project doesn’t have a final cost just yet but will be more in the $4.8 million range instead.
The biggest victory of all came on May 14 when the Pelicans struck gold with just a 6% chance to come away as the winners of the NBA Lottery and the coveted No. 1 pick, which the team will almost assuredly use on Duke’s Zion Williamson next month.
And on Sunday the Pelicans successfully convinced Trajan Langdon to leave the Brooklyn Nets to become their new general manager.
“We’re going to attract and gather as much of the best and brightest as we can here,” Griffin said on Tuesday’s conference call to introduce Langdon. “The commitment that Mrs. Benson has made through this process is total, and she’s been as supportive as you can hope for an owner to be. I think that commitment kind of appealed to Trajan’s thought process as well.”
That thought process is permeating throughout the league as well.
When Griffin was in Chicago last week for the lottery, he met with nearly every agent he could. And he came away thinking that New Orleans was being perceived in a different light.
“I think it’s very safe to say the global appreciation of New Orleans Pelicans basketball is radically improved,” Griffin said. “It starts with what Mrs. Benson did. I think we’ve been building on it every day.”
After the Pelicans secured the No. 1 pick, the Pelicans’ front office celebrated late into the night at a local restaurant just a 10-minute walk from the Hilton Chicago where the lottery was held.
Griffin admittedly didn’t get much sleep. But just a few hours after laying his head on a pillow, he was up in the morning doing what needed to be done in order to move the franchise along.
He met with agents. He met with draft picks. He met with his staff. It’s an energy that his entire staff is feeling, and the outlook internally is much brighter than it was months ago.
“It’s certainly nice to have people buying into what we’re trying to do,” Griffin said. “We’re just trying to stack up one success after another to change the vision people have of us externally.”
“Frankly, I think what it really is is it’s stacking one success after another and one investment after another. This is Mrs. Benson’s team now.”
Griffin stopped, laughed and then added, “There’s a new sheriff in town and her name is Gayle.”