A Brief Catalogue of Thoughts Regarding Turnover
Turnover isn't always a bad thing. New ideas can lead to new results. Bonus Ingram stuff as well.
Hello esteemed readers. It has been a while. Much has happened since you last had one of these in your inbox and I’m here to touch on a few important things.
Front Office Turnover
When it was announced that Trajan Langdon would be taking over the Detroit Pistons, most people in the know correctly assumed that Bryson Graham would be taking over as General Manager for the Pelicans. Graham has been a Pelicans lifer, starting out as front office intern for the then Hornets under Dell Demps. Graham has worn many hats during his tenure with the organization and his ascendency to the GM spot is a true testament to his value.
Langdon is not the only source of turnover. As reported by the Athletic, the Pistons have hired Michael Blackstone as well. Blackstone, who held the title of Vice President of Basketball Operations, played a critical role in cap and strategy, and was an important player in negotiations. Christian Clark has reported the Pelicans are interviewing for what they deem a need in this role. There are a few good candidates to watch for, including Jon Moul of Charlotte Hornets and Amanda Green of the Oklahoma City Thunder. My understanding is the Pelicans will cast a wide net here. Marc Chasanoff is currently Senior Director of Salary Cap & Strategy, so there is a possibility of internal promotion, while a lower level addition is made on the cap side.
Michael Hartman also left the Pelicans this summer and will be joining the Washington Wizards. Hartman headed up the analytics department and the Pelicans are currently in the process of replacing him as well. I would expect the Pelicans to do some internal promotion here and some backfilling later on. David Griffin has been building out the analytics arm since he arrived in New Orleans, and this is an opportunity to continue to grow in this area. Watch out for long time consultant Rohan Ramadas to take on a larger role this season. The Pelicans also added Dominic Samangy as a basketball analytics coordinator last year. His role was primarily on the coaching side, but I would not be surprised to see it expand as well.
I have few opinions on the turnover taking place in the front office. I want to be very clear that these opinions are my own and not sourced in any way. Since Griffin first arrived in New Orleans, the top of his staff has largely remained the same. Sure there have been some minor changes and additions over the years, but this will be the first time the Pelicans will be staring down the barrel of major change in a while.
Change is a good thing. Though the Pelicans may be losing talented people, there is real opportunity to bring in fresh eyes and ideas. The NBA is an evolving space, and front office talent is a competitive advantage. There is no real reason for organizational continuity if the results have not followed. Teams are not scared to change rosters or coaches every few years, so it makes sense that front office turnover is another area where teams can find improvement. Job titles are relatively unimportant to me, and sometimes made up entirely. What’s important is the right people are hired. To the Pelicans credit, they do a great job of empowering their staff, regardless of title, to take on many roles and have a say in operations.
I have similar thoughts about the coaching staff turnover.
Coaching Staff Turnover
While James Borrego has been in headlines over the past few weeks as a head coaching candidate for both the Lakers and the Cavaliers, the Pistons successfully poached long time coach Fred Vinson this past week. Vinson, like Graham, has been with the organization since prior the the name change and is getting to rejoin Monty Williams in Detroit. Vinson is not the only coach to officially leave, as Ryan Frazier joins Charles Lee’s staff in Charlotte.
There is growing sentiment among league sources that Borrego is emerging as the front runner for the Cavaliers job. The GOAT sub-stacker
The Ingram Situation
The other thing mentioned in Stein’s column is Cleveland’s reluctance to move Jarrett Allen. I am of the belief that the pressures of the cap aprons and redundancy on the Cavaliers’ roster will force Koby Altman’s hand at some point this season. Nevertheless, while the Pelicans do indeed covet Allen, I do not believe they are enthralled by the idea of moving Ingram in a deal built around him. Likewise, my conversations with league sources lead me to believe that the Pelicans are not in love with the idea of a one for one swap between Darius Garland and Ingram. Garland presents cap challenges on his max contract as well as roster building issues due to his size.
I think there will be a great deal of posturing in the next few weeks. The Ingram situation is one that may just take some time to truly reach a resolution. The Pelicans do not see this as a situation where they must move Ingram. In fact, it is my understanding that the Pelicans will make every effort to reach an extension agreement that is short of the max. League sources describe Bryson Graham as a Brandon Ingram fan, and it is no secret that David Griffin is one as well.
Christian Clark has reported that the Pelicans are unlikely to offer Ingram his full 30% max, and the resolution of this situation is tied to what contract Ingram is willing to accept. Now that the finals have concluded, the Pelicans can officially negotiate with their own free agents. Finding a definitive answer on the Ingram deal will not only dictate the Pelicans’ offseason, but their future over the next several seasons.
Happy for Rohan's glowup! I remember reading and enjoying the articles they wrote on some NOLA Hornets blogs many years ago.
Ingram a Piston