Trajan Langdon as Pelicans' GM

[sagegrouse]

Here the story ("fair use" only, of course) via ESPN from the Athletic:

NEW ORLEANS -- The Pelicans have hired Nets assistant general manager Trajan Langdon to serve as GM under new executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin, according to multiple reports.

The news was first reported by the Athletic.

Langdon, 43, is a former Duke and NBA player who also played professionally in Europe. He has served as the Nets' assistant GM since 2016 and has helped rebuild Brooklyn into a squad that qualified for the Eastern Conference playoffs as a sixth seed this season after finishing last in the East two seasons earlier.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Here the story ("fair use" only, of course) via ESPN from the Athletic:

Langdon is the real deal and I hope it’s true. With the assets the Pellies have, they need to crush this summer and get it right.

The Nets were one of the best stories this year.

[frb]

the staff is gonna start using this as a selling point. 2 duke alums now NBA GM's both by their early 40s. who else can say that? and Danny Ferry will probably get another shot at some pt somewhere.

[UrinalCake]

I can’t wait until the Stephen Smiths of the world start telling us that Zion doesn’t want to play for NO and that hiring a fellow Duke guy is their way of appeasing him...

[roywhite]

the staff is gonna start using this as a selling point. 2 duke alums now NBA GM's both by their early 40s. who else can say that? and Danny Ferry will probably get another shot at some pt somewhere.

Not to mention an NBA Head Coach (Quin) and the NBA Commissioner!

This in addition to the huge Duke footprint in college basketball and basketball media.

[BigZ]

The Alaskan Assasin

[GGLC]

Pretty sure I still have a VHS tape somewhere with only "Trajan's Last Game" written on it in sharpie

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I can’t wait until the Stephen Smiths of the world start telling us that Zion doesn’t want to play for NO and that hiring a fellow Duke guy is their way of appeasing him...

What if that's not totally wrong as a theory? (key word...not TOTALLY wrong...)

[BeachBlueDevil]

What a great basketball mind to bring in as GM. Spent a few years as an Asst GM with the Nets and has knowledge of basketball overseas due to the amount of time spent there.

Now, let's see what he does with Davis. Bill Plaschke said on Around the Horn last week that the Pelicans do not want to trade with the Lakers, let's see how and if that changes. I'm sure that the Knicks (depending on who they get in FA) would make a deal for AD. IMHO, a good haul for AD would be the 3rd overall pick this year, Mitchell Robinson (kid is going to be special), and a first rd pick next year ( Pelicans can use that pick to get Tre Jones ).

[AlaskanAssassin]

Oh hi all! 👋


Pretty excited on what’s to come for Trajan. Looking forward to seeing the pieces he’ll put together with Zion. Hmm...could he get JJ?

[gus]

What if that's not totally wrong as a theory? (key word...not TOTALLY wrong...)

Not really a response to you, but more of a "time passing is completely predictable and yet..."

Zion was born more than a year after Trajan's last game as a Blue Devil.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

So putting this all together, Trajan will draft Zion, trade for RJ, sign JJ as a free agent and then draft Tre next year. That’s a team I could root for! The New Orleans Blue Devils! LGD GTHc!

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Not really a response to you, but more of a "time passing is completely predictable and yet..."

Zion was born more than a year after Trajan's last game as a Blue Devil.

I'm mostly just doing a thought experiment here...but I think the whole notion of "the brotherhood" is meant to erase chronological discrepancies...so someone knowing that might elevate Trajan a little bit in the pecking order because of it. Banks is tied to Dawkins is tied to Ferry is tied to Laettner and so on....

[SoCalDukeFan]

What a great basketball mind to bring in as GM. Spent a few years as an Asst GM with the Nets and has knowledge of basketball overseas due to the amount of time spent there.

Now, let's see what he does with Davis. Bill Plaschke said on Around the Horn last week that the Pelicans do not want to trade with the Lakers, let's see how and if that changes. I'm sure that the Knicks (depending on who they get in FA) would make a deal for AD. IMHO, a good haul for AD would be the 3rd overall pick this year, Mitchell Robinson (kid is going to be special), and a first rd pick next year ( Pelicans can use that pick to get Tre Jones ).

I thought was a smart player when he was at Duke and a very hard worker. Nets got better when he was there and his experience overseas should be very helpful.

SoCal

[chrishoke]

One of my very favorite blue devils. Go Trajan

[Dukehk]

Pretty sure I still have a VHS tape somewhere with only "Trajan's Last Game" written on it in sharpie

Still hurts me to this day.

[Phredd3]

He's certainly not coming into an easy situation. What an interesting challenge. He'll get a chance to show his chops from Day One.

[Duke79UNLV77]

He's certainly not coming into an easy situation. What an interesting challenge. He'll get a chance to show his chops from Day One.

True, but I wish my first big decision in my job had been as easy as picking Zion! Then again, Jordan would probably trade down to pick Luke Maye!

[CrazyNotCrazie]

What is Trajan's role vis a vis Griffin? How much actual power will he have? Who will have final say on trades, draft picks, etc.?

[budwom]

of course what's not clear is what decisions Griffin will allow Trajan to make...I can definitely see why the Pelicans don't want to trade with the Lakers after LA's heavy handed attempt to force a trade...plus no one knows who's in charge of the Lakers anyway...I am sure many offers will be forthcoming from around the league. Evidently it's true that Davis doesn't want Boston, though maybe they can change his mind, and surely the Celts have assets to deal.