Pelicans GM Dell Demps reportedly pushed for today’s ouster of coach Monty Williams, but Demps characterized the move to reporters today as an organizational decision, notes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune (Twitter link). The GM also insisted that there was no disconnect between him and Williams, in spite of Smith’s earlier report, as Smith and fellow Times-Picayune scribe John Reid relay (Twitter links). Demps had much more to say this afternoon about the coaching change and other Pelicans issues, and we’ll pass along the highlights:
- One point Demps didn’t address was the status of his own contract, which remains unclear, though executive vice president of basketball operations Mickey Loomis indicated that the GM was under contract for a few years, Smith tweets. Still, it’s not clear just how many years are left. The Pelicans apparently hadn’t exercised their option on Demps for next season as of last week, as Reid wrote then. In any case, Demps said he’ll be in charge of finding a replacement for Williams, as Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com relays (Twitter link). “We’re going to begin that process immediately after this,” Demps said. “I don’t have a timetable. I’m going to lead the search.”
- Demps confirmed that Loomis told him that rumors regarding Joe Dumars and the Pelicans were untrue, according to Smith (Twitter link). The Pelicans last week denied that the team had talked to the former Pistons exec about a role in the organization, though it appears that if Dumars were to come aboard, it would be in a capacity that would oversee Demps but not replace him, as multiple reports have indicated.
- The GM said that he spoke with a number of Pelicans players, including Anthony Davis, after the team announced the firing, Smith tweets.
- Demps and Williams talked just about every day and spoke about all player personnel moves, the GM said, Smith notes (Twitter links). There wasn’t a specific loss or incident that precipitated the firing, Demps added, according to Reid (on Twitter).
- The fate of the team’s assistant coaches depends on the team’s next head coach, Demps said, as Smith passes along (Twitter link).