Pelicans general manager Dell Demps was relieved of his duties on Friday, in a move that shocked many, even those connected to the team.
The Pelicans, after all, recorded one of their biggest wins of the season on Thursday night, beating the red-hot Thunder, and doing do without superstar Anthony Davis, who exited the game at halftime after suffering a shoulder injury.
Not only that, Davis left the arena, with superagent Rich Paul at his side, and Demps fell on the sword for it. The Pelicans fired Demps on Friday, citing that as one of the main reasons.
Ownership was livid with an injured Anthony Davis leaving arena during Thursday night’s game, sources say. Gayle Benson is telling associates she wants an overhaul of Pelicans and a search for a GM to take command of Davis trade talks and the reshaping of team’s future.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2019
It almost seems like the sequence of events was contrived. The final half of play before All-Star Weekend, Davis leaves, and Demps is fired. That seems all too coincidental.
Anyway, it’s all about the future now, and Danny Ferry has already been promoted to general manager, rather quickly, as if the Pelicans already knew what they were going to do.
New Orleans has now named Danny Ferry the interim GM, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2019
Gayle Benson:
“We will immediately begin the process of restructuring our basketball operations department. This will include a comprehensive, but confidential, search aided by outside consultants to identify a new leader of our basketball operations, directly reporting to me.”
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) February 15, 2019
The organization believes Ferry can be the guy to successfully pull off a trade involving Davis — even though management/ownership reportedly told Demps not to do it before, which is interesting. It also sees Ferry as the right person to rebuild the roster in the coming years.
Ferry has worked with the Pels in a part-time capacity as a consultant, but his most recent work as GM for the Atlanta Hawks was viewed league-wide as a clinic on how to reshape a roster and franchise without bottoming out into the lottery. https://t.co/QLdMayrqCI
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2019
Buckle up, Pelicans fans, as it appears a full-scale rebuild is coming — and soon. It should be an interesting summer.
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