Griffin: Pels ‘proper setting’ for Zion, AD

METAIRIE, La. — David Griffin stated he’s “sure that is a false narrative” that Zion Williamson or some other potential No. 1 decide within the NBA draft would should be satisfied to return and play for the New Orleans Pelicans.

And Griffin stated he’s hoping to persuade Anthony Davis to remain on board as properly, now that the Pelicans are on a exceptional offseason successful streak.

The Pelicans’ makeover continued this previous week once they received the NBA draft lottery, then lured Trajan Langdon away from the Brooklyn Nets to develop into their normal supervisor. Griffin, who was employed final month as New Orleans’ government vp of basketball operations, stated he plans to go to with Davis quickly.

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“We’ll most likely sit collectively in Los Angeles sooner or later across the draft exercises that happen there,” Griffin stated Tuesday throughout a convention name to introduce Langdon. “And I feel that is the following step – actually to look one another within the eye and speak about what’s necessary to us. And we’re very optimistic from earlier conversations with Wealthy Paul, his agent, and with the entire individuals right here that know Anthony and know what he is about, we’re very assured that we have now a compelling scenario for him right here.

“And if successful is what he’s certainly all about, which we have now each motive to imagine, we really feel assured that we are able to create — and are creating — the best setting for Anthony and albeit for high-caliber gamers of every kind to need to be part of. That is one thing that we hope creates an power that recruits itself, and Anthony would simply be one step in that course of.”

To this point, there was no indication that Davis plans to again away from his need to be traded from the Pelicans or to depart as a free agent after subsequent season. However the crew is optimistic that Davis might be swayed by the caliber of modifications being made this offseason – together with the probably addition of Duke’s Williamson with the No. 1 decide.

As for Williamson himself, Griffin balked at hypothesis that he may not need to play for a struggling, small-market franchise in New Orleans. Griffin stated “we all know unequivocally” that both Williamson or prime prospect Ja Morant could be “thrilled to affix us in New Orleans” after Griffin and Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry hung out with every of them following the lottery.

“I am sure that is a false narrative relative to the gamers that might probably be the No. 1 decide,” Griffin stated. “We have sat with a number of gamers that we’re for that first decide. In actual fact, within the case of Zion Williamson, Alvin Gentry and I sat with he and his mother and father the evening of the lottery. … And Alvin and I have been additionally collectively in interviewing Ja Morant in Chicago as properly. And I feel as a result of we sat with these youngsters who’re each unimaginable human beings and all about all the best issues, we all know unequivocally that both of them could be thrilled to affix us in New Orleans. And so they’re each very a lot excited in regards to the idea.”

That idea of constructing a winner in New Orleans actually appears to be attracting a number of the prime executives across the NBA.

Along with Griffin and Langdon, the Pelicans additionally employed extremely revered coach Aaron Nelson away from the Phoenix Suns.

Griffin joked that “the following one in is leaping on the bandwagon.”

Griffin credited proprietor Gayle Benson, who took over each the Saints and Pelicans franchises final 12 months following the dying of her husband, Tom. He stated Benson has been dedicated to altering the Pelicans’ method after they fell in need of constructing a winner round Davis over the previous seven years.

“It is develop into one thing that it is very clearly her child, and the Pelicans matter immeasurably to her. And actually in all these hirings, she’s placing her cash the place her mouth is and he or she’s empowering us to go and entice the perfect and the brightest,” Griffin stated. “And I feel whenever you win the lottery within the midst of all these different issues, it begins to essentially lend itself to altering a story.

“Actually, (the brand new hires) are shopping for into the momentum at this level.”

Langdon, who helped oversee an analogous rebuild over the previous three years because the Nets’ assistant GM, stated that momentum and dedication stage is what drew him to New Orleans – in addition to the change to work with Griffin once more after they spent the 2015-16 championship 12 months along with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“The chance to affix up with Griff once more and do one thing particular in a spot that no one believes it may be carried out, other than the individuals on this group and the town, is one thing that may be very intriguing,” stated Langdon, who described it as a “very troublesome choice” for him and his household to depart the Nets and stated his time there was “unbelievable.”

“So I feel it is one other problem – and one which’s larger being in a smaller market,” Langdon stated. “I feel Brooklyn has put themselves in a spot now the place they’ll entice these big-name individuals. And that is what we need to do there as properly, however in a distinct market. And like Griff has stated prior to now, doing that in a small market like we did in Cleveland is simply much more rewarding whenever you discover that success sooner or later. And whether or not that can be in a single, two or 4 years, who is aware of? However when the success does come, it is gonna be extremely rewarding.”