Basketball in the Big Easy has a long, storied, yet sometimes interrupted history. The ABA's Buccaneers had a run in the late 1960s. The Jazz were raised in New Orleans in the latter half of the 1970s. The Crescent City couldn't find a professional game again until the Hornets came to town in 2002. It has taken several executives, coaches, All-Star trade demands, and a re-brand, but it seems the New Orleans Pelicans are finally primed for long-term success under EVP David Griffin.
Griffin has been in New Orleans for five years, some longer than others. Now the Pelicans are trying to bridge $25 million gaps with All-Stars with a focus on the future. The past five injury-plagued years are almost inconsequential, especially since Zion Williamson and Griffin have already signed contract extensions.
Still, a five-year review is in order considering it is a substantial percentage of the city's hoops history. The Pelicans/Hornets have been based in New Orleans for 23 seasons now, including the Hurricane Katrina years spent in Oklahoma City. The franchise has a losing record (831-937), only nine playoff appearances, and two NBA Playoffs series wins to its name.
However, things are looking up and Griffin deserves a good bit of credit. If his tenure were a trading card, it'd be Gem Mint but not quite a pristine and perfect 10 due to one subgrade category. (Cards are graded on the surface, corners, centering, and edges.)
Culture being built by Champions
Griffin's Pelicans have a centered culture, that's for certain. All three leading executives have championship rings too. Sure, Trajan Langdon is now President of Basketball Operations for the Detroit Pistons. Swin Cash has been elevated to Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations and Bryson Graham is still grinding away somewhere on the next newest addition to the Pelicans. Langdon leaving is a significant move no doubt, but Griffin is apparently still captaining a steady ship.
Keeping GM Bryson Graham in the building was a huge offseason win that cannot be measured in win/loss records alone. The city knows Graham was an intern (2010-11) who toiled long hours on the road to becoming the team's player development director (2011-12) the following season. Up next were duties as the video coordinator/player development coach (2012-14), scouting coordinator (2014-17), and director of college scouting (2017-19).
Fans and future employees take note of that level of loyalty. There is bound to be turnover in the front office. It is just the nature of the business. Promoting Graham and Cash while keeping Langdon longer than most expected is proof Griffin was serious about the “sustainable championship culture.” Spend a day around the facilities. The overall organizational stability from the front office to the fieldhouse attendants cannot be denied.
Leadership (Centering) Grade: A (10)
New Orleans found the right locker room leader
Some might say that on the surface NBA head coaches are a bit less important when compared to other sports. The NBA is a star-driven league claims those who refuse to give coaches their proper credit. Griffin has a counterpoint that has proven to be a job saver, because without Willie Green, it is arguable that a new regime would have already taken over the franchise.
Griffin was hamstrung initially by inheriting Alvin Gentry as a leftover, lame-duck head coach. Gentry had one winning season in four years leading the Pelicans, which ended with a second-round loss to the Golden State Warriors (2018). The old-school, tough-love ways of Stan Van Gundy got a single season with Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram before being chased out of town.
Willie Green has been a godsend for Griffin's young squad. Green’s leadership, both on and off the court, has had a significant impact on the team. His humility, preparedness, and ability to build trust have made him the perfect locker-room leader for the Pelicans. Every skeptic was silenced once Green gave a game-changing “You Gotta Fight” battle call against the Los Angeles Clippers in an NBA Play-In Tournament elimination game.
Coaching (Surface) Grade: A (10)
Pelicans roster-building with restrictions
The Pelicans have never paid the luxury tax, instead working the edges of all markets to find any margins to exploit. It has not always worked out of course but those frugal ways may change soon. Griffin has been public about telling fans it will have to be the right competitive and financial situation for this team to pay a hefty fee. This franchise will not foot the luxury tax bill for an NBA Play-In Tournament caliber team.
The front office has been roster-building around a very young championship core with some well-placed restrictions. Those unpopular limits over the past five seasons have given the team more freedom going forward under the new CBA. Griffin started with Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday, the first overall pick in 2019, and a somewhat bare draft capital war chest. There was at least a brief conversation with Davis and Zion Williamson about trying to make things work.
The new lead executive delivered the now famous “All the way in or all the way out” speech and Davis was soon dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers. Now the Pelicans are close to being in the top four conversation out West but the front office has some work to do. Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum hit a ceiling. Griffin again has a great foundation but also an All-Star who might have to leave town. The team needs more spacing after seasons spent trying to make Steven Adams and Jonas Valanciunas work as traditional big men.
The team could be better arguably, but undeniably it could also be a lot worse.
Roster-Building (Edges) Grade: B (9)
Griffin runs results-orientated business
There are no cutting corners when it comes to winning championships. Regardless of the situation fans, front offices, and ownership groups footing the bill want to see progress if not trophies. The NBA is notoriously a make-or-miss league and that produce-or-else process extends from the court to executive suites. Coaches and front offices have the easiest of public report cards to read: the win/loss record. If anyone questions the progress of the Pelicans, Griffin can simply point to the standings.
- 2019-20: 30-42
- 2020-21: 31-41
- 2021-22: 36-46 (NBA Playoffs – First Round)
- 2022-23: 42-20 (NBA Play-In Tournament)
- 2023-24: 49-33 (NBA Playoffs -First Round)
Winning more games every year cannot be denied. The organically grown Western Conference underdog is bringing in new fan engagement which is in turn fueling expectations. The Pelicans have always played second-fiddle to the headlining Saints in New Orleans. Now they are playing on the same stage when it comes to the Gulf South's professional sporting scene, at least according to Meredith Griffin.
“When we first got here, I don't remember seeing a lot of people wearing Pelicans' gear but it's growing and people are talking about them more,” Mrs. Griffin observed. “I see flags out on people's houses and it's so exciting to feel that energy because it was not there when we first got here. I know the families feel that.”
Franchise Relevance (Corners) Grade: A (10)
It's hard to see how any long-standing fan of Big Easy basketball can spend much time complaining about the job Griffin has done while in charge. There are fans on every street corner complaining about minor issues while expecting at least one more major offseason move. The Pelicans under Griffin have been elevated into the Daily Gripes category of Gulf South sporting conversations.
It does not get much better than that, especially in the buildup to football season.
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