Pelicans Executive Compares Roster Philosophy To New England Patriots

David Griffin was appointed as the Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations after General Manager Dell Demps was terminated in February 2019, due to a subpar season and a trade request from Anthony Davis.

Davis was the franchise cornerstone of the New Orleans Pelicans and was widely considered one of the best players in the league in his time in New Orleans.

Anthony Davis has requested a trade and told the Pelicans he has no intention of signing an extension if offered, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/jyOyRD2B4n
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 28, 2019

The Pelicans then won the draft lottery the same year and selected their now-franchise cornerstone Zion Williamson.

Griffin's tenure in New Orleans was focused on player development, and with high expectations brought in after winning a title with the Cavaliers, the Pelicans started to build something special.

Even though the Pelicans made multiple postseason appearances, and built a team around Zion Williamson that was highly intriguing, a 21-61 record in the 2024-25 season cost Griffin his job in April 2025.

Joe Dumars Makes An Unexpected Connection

In April 2025, the Pelicans hired Hall of Famer Joe Dumars as their new Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, ushering in a new era for New Orleans, and for their sake, hopefully, some better results.

Hall of Famer Joe Dumars is finalizing a deal to become the new president of basketball operations of the New Orleans Pelicans, sources tell ESPN. Dumars was president of the Pistons from 2000-14, building the 2004 Detroit championship team. Now returns home to Louisiana. pic.twitter.com/SrgfHBbHTP
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 15, 2025

In a luncheon hosted by the Greater New Orleans Quarterback Club, Dumars made a very interesting connection between the NBA and NFL.

According to Jim Eichenhofer of NBA.com, Dumars spoke about the New England Patriots when talking about the philosophy of roster-building.

“I said to Mrs. Benson, it is hard as heck to build a great team if you solely depend on one guy…You can’t do that, because what that means is he has to be healthy for 82 games and never miss a game, and you know that’s not going to happen," Dumars said.

"And I said even when you saw a team like the [New England] Patriots, and you say Tom Brady is the GOAT, but usually people talked about what a great organization and great team they have,” he added.

The State of the Pelicans

Even though the analogy between the Pelicans and Patriots is a shocking one, it is not wrong in terms of front office thinking.

"We want to be deep. We want to be 10, 11, 12 (players) deep. So if that generational talent isn’t (on the court) for two weeks, we still win. You can’t build a team, especially in professional sports, where you’re dependent on one guy. As great as Steph Curry is, their team is great,” Dumars said.

"I have been doing this way too long to give credence to naysayers. We are going to trod our own path here. We're not going to go by anyone elses playbook. These are the guys we really wanted as Pelicans"

-- Joe Dumars on the noise surrounding the trade pic.twitter.com/iQHkPAPmul
— Pelicans Film Room (@PelsFilmRoom) June 28, 2025

That still reigns true. A star or two and valuable depth is how you win in the modern NBA. Sure, you can have multiple star-caliber players as role players, but the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder both proved that two All-Star caliber players and solid depth is how you win titles.

If the Pelicans can start to think and feel that way about their roster, it can only lead to success in the long run.

Six-Year NBA Veteran Signs Deal With New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans Pelicans Give 6-foot-9 Forward Chance to Join NBA

Pelicans Reunite Jeremiah Fears With College Teammate On Training Camp Deal

Joe Dumars Makes An Unexpected Connection

The State of the Pelicans

Related Articles