The New Orleans Pelicans have parted ways with their general manager, Dell Demps. First reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Pelicans have fired Dell Demps and will search for a general manager to take the team in a new direction.
Demps has been with the Pelicans, formerly the New Orleans Hornets, since 2010. During his tenure, the Pelicans made the playoffs three times, winning one series.
Organization is discussing internal candidates for interim GM job, including David Booth and Danny Ferry, sources tell ESPN. Pelicans planning to be aggressive in marketplace to hire a high-level basketball executive. https://t.co/qYfoc5wqSB
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2019
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
The firing comes just before the NBA’s annual All-Star break. Demps and the Pelicans held onto superstar Anthony Davis, who publicly requested a trade recently, at the deadline.
The firing also comes the day after Davis suffered a shoulder injury in a win against Oklahoma City. He then walked out of the arena with his agent Rich Paul.
Anthony Davis’s shoulder injury and video of him leaving the arena from TNT pic.twitter.com/krlMKTr1dt
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) February 15, 2019
The Pelicans received many offers, most notably from the Los Angeles Lakers, but the team, under Demp’s management did not make the move. While Davis will almost certainly be on a new team next year, the Pelicans hope they will have someone better than Demps doing the negotiating.
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