New Orleans Pelicans fire GM Dell Demps, name Danny Ferry as interim GM
The Anthony Davis situation may have claimed its latest victim. After it was first reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the New Orleans Pelicans announced on Friday afternoon that they have fired general manager Dell Demps.
Demps, who was hired in 2010, did not trade Davis at the deadline. He started and stopped negotiations with the Los Angeles Lakers several times before eventually deciding to hold on to the star until the offseason.
It appeared that Demps had survived the trade deadline drama with his job, but the latest Davis incident may have been what did him in. On Thursday night, Davis left the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder late in the second quarter after injuring his left shoulder. He was later seen in street clothes leaving the Smoothie King Center with his agent, Rich Paul.
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry was clearly unhappy about it, and Wojnarowski reported that Gentry wasn’t the only one — ownership was also pretty unhappy with Davis.
Ownership was livid with an injured Anthony Davis leaving arena during Thursday night’s game, sources say. Gayle Benson is telling associates she wants an overhaul of Pelicans and a search for a GM to take command of Davis trade talks and the reshaping of team’s future.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 15, 2019
Until Benson and her associates find that commanding GM, the Pelicans will need someone to handle things. Special adviser Danny Ferry has been named as the interim general manager. There’s no telling how long his tenure may last, or if the Pelicans will examine any internal candidates to be the permanent GM, but it’s worth mentioning that Ferry had his own issues that ended his stint with the Atlanta Hawks in 2014.
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