The New Orleans Pelicans have no shortage of problems, and Joe Dumars needs to address them as soon as possible.
Many questions have been presented about the state of the Pelicans, especially during the David Griffin era. Whether it’s the trainers, team facilities, management, or coaching, something is fundamentally broken within the organization.
And until changes are made from the top down, the Pelicans will continue to underachieve.
Murray’s Frustrating First Year in New Orleans
In a lengthy interview, newly acquired All-Star Dejounte Murray had some blunt words when describing the current state of the Pelicans organization. Murray opened up about his struggles last season, which he described as the most difficult of his career.
Murray’s tenure with the Pelicans got off to a rocky start, as he broke his hand in the first game of the season. Murray eventually came back and was starting to find his groove. But unfortunately, the Pelicans can’t have nice things, and he suffered a devastating Achilles injury, essentially putting the nail in the coffin for their season.
He was very candid about his struggles last season, expressing that he was not getting the support he needed from the team. Murray went even further, saying he couldn’t get the training table time or court access he needed.
While there’s likely more to the story behind the scenes, Dejounte Murray’s comments highlight a troubling issue rooted in team leadership.
Who’s to Blame?
While it’s not fair to put all the blame on one facet of the organization, all roads lead back to the owner, Gayle Benson.
Her vested interest in the Pelicans has always played second fiddle to the hometown Saints, and it’s been pretty clear among fans. The stalled renovations for the Smoothie King Center and the general lack of support for the Pelicans among locals reflect this.
There have also been concerns over the training staff. There can only be so many untimely injuries before fans rightfully question their effectiveness. Every season, players miss extended time.
You can blame former Pelicans President David Griffin. While he constantly talked about establishing a strong culture, that never came to fruition. And while he made plenty of questionable moves during his tenure in New Orleans, perhaps his biggest shortcoming was his inability to establish a winning culture that they so desperately need.
Or you can blame Willie Green, whose stubbornness and failure to lead the Pelicans to playoff success have fans calling for his job.
https://twitter.com/PelicansLead/status/1935748288197935580
If Green and the Pelicans continue to fall apart in crunch time like in years past, his job is as good as done. The pieces are there for the Pelicans to build a winning culture, but they’ll only go as far as Willie Green takes them.
Dumars to the Rescue?
Is Joe Dumars the man for the job? Only time will tell, but he does have a no-nonsense, business-like persona that the team could desperately use. His championship pedigree, both as a player and a front-office executive, should make fans cautiously optimistic for the future.
Patience is running thin in the Big Easy, and it’s up to Dumars to instill hope within the fan base before it’s too late.
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