Changes are coming to the New Orleans Pelicans' front office, but they're not the changes everyone expected.
According to NOLA.com's John Reid, the Pelicans are expected to part ways with vice president and general manager Dell Demps, but Joe Dumars will not be the guy who replaces him.
A league source said there is no truth to the report involving Dumars getting hired by the Pelicans to become their new president of basketball operations. But there is a chance Demps may not return, but Alvin Gentry will, sources say.
Dumars, a Louisiana native, is a longtime friend of Pelicans vice president/basketball operations Mickey Loomis and Saints coach Sean Payton. Loomis met with Dumars at several Saints road games during the 2014 season.
The meetings were held to gauge Dumars' opinion of the Pelicans, according to sources. But Loomis said at the time they had no interest in hiring Dumars.
Multiple reports had linked Dumars to the Pelicans job, citing that relationship with the area and the franchise. It's unclear who they are targeting if they do let Demps go.
Dumars took over the Pistons in 2001, ultimately building the team that won 2004 NBA Championship over the Los Angeles Lakers. That was part of a stretch in which Detroit made it to six straight Eastern Conference Finals, but he ultimately stepped down in April 2014 after a string of underachieving seasons from the Pistons.
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