clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Davis Situation Explodes, Pelicans Fire Dell Demps

The New Orleans GM doesn’t survive the season after Anthony Davis demands a trade.

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at New Orleans Pelicans Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

The New Orleans Pelicans have fired General Manager Dell Demps in the wake of a tumultuous trade season with franchise superstar Anthony Davis. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN broke the news this morning.

Pelicans management and ownership have spent the last month at the center of a firestorm after Davis indicated that remaining with the team is not in his plans. New Orleans got into a media tug-of-war with the Los Angeles Lakers at the NBA Trade Deadline, supposedly Davis’ preferred destination. No trade resulted.

Davis’ status has remained spotty since. He’s averaged fewer than 20 minutes over the Pelicans’ last five games and is currently listed as day-to-day with a muscle contusion in his shoulder. Wojnarowski suggests that this contributed to frustration in the Pelicans’ upper ranks.

Dissatisfaction with Demps does not appear to affect the status of other New Orleans executives.

New Orleans’ 26-33 record leaves them 13th in the 15-team Western Conference. They made it to the second round of the 2018 NBA Playoffs, sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers in the process.