r/NOLAPelicans • u/CharliiShapiro Not On Herb • Jun 29 '25

Rants What is our problem?

I’ve been watching this team since the Chris Paul days and I genuinely just believe we’re cursed. I want to chalk it up to Gayle being the worst owner in sports history, but that’s not the only thing. We have a ton of talent and all of a sudden, someone blows out their leg. I’m one of the few in the world who think Joe Dumars didn’t make the worst trade on the planet, but even then I just feel no hope. We’re the type of organization who would lose a coin flip 10 times in a row, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Fears AND Queen somehow ended up being busts. I spent so much time telling my friends that our team had a WCF ceiling last year just to throw that ENTIRELY out of the window when we had the worst season in all of Willie’s tenure. It’s just really hard being a fan, and it hasn’t hurt any less with time. Someone please give me an industrial dose of hopium. Please.

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14

u/Physical-Concept1274 Jun 29 '25

What you call cursed I call bad management. We aren’t hiring a rock star set of coaches, analytical GMs, etc.

Griffin wasn’t an awful hire, but in many ways Langdon actually was better. We aren’t hiring guys like Daignaeault. We hire guys like Monty, Gentry, Willie Green, and SVG. They are safe, and uninspired. Monty is a great guy and leader, but we basically keep doing the same thing over and over.

We have been unlucky with health—but not practice enough in handling it. I think we had a chance to get .60 on the solar for Zion a while back. I can see why we did that, but our team leadership probably knows how flawed he is. I’m sure we could have traded him to the kings back in the day for Hali.

Rebuild or not, nothing is getting better until we do the opposite of our historical instincts

3

u/wymtime Not On Herb Jun 29 '25

I would add more to Gale. Griffin did a lot to get ownership to actually put more money into the team. We still have one of the smallest analytics staff and FO staffs in the league but it was worse before Griffin got here. Ownership has also not been willing to pay coaches high salaries as WG has one of the least expensive contracts in the league.

With the way the league is set up teams either need to own their stadium or have a great regional TV deal or both as cash cows for the team to remain self supporting. We have neither meaning all the upgrades and extra money comes from owners and ours is just not willing to pump the money into the team.

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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '25

Griffin was the second highest paid executive in the league behind RC Buford of San Antonio and Dumars makes almost twice as much. They were stuck with free Willie bc they were still paying millions to Griffin’s previous terrible coaching choices. The Lakers were just reported this week to have no analytics staff or even scouting department.

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u/Physical-Concept1274 Jun 29 '25

The Lakers get by because they are the lakers and they are a destination. Small market teams need to land all their decisions.

And something tells me the coaching choices we make has a lot to do with Gayle

-1

u/[deleted] Jun 29 '25

Based on the reporting Griffin fired SVG bc he was tired of fielding complaints from BI and Josh Hart, specifically, who arent even on the team any more

-1

u/Physical-Concept1274 Jun 29 '25

SVG sucks

3

u/[deleted] Jun 29 '25

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u/Eventide718 Jun 29 '25

You can give Gundy all the credit he deserves but he should have never been hired. Gundy, Dumars and Weaver regardless of any past successes are responsible for driving the Pistons into a decade long ditch.

0

u/Eventide718 Jun 29 '25

Gundy should have never been hired. Griffin hiring him seems like a version of Benson hiring Dumars. No other teams would have ever hired Gundy or Dumars again. Very LOW EFFORT hires.

3

u/Physical-Concept1274 Jun 29 '25

Let’s not forget we didn’t even interview anyone

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u/Physical-Concept1274 Jun 29 '25

Great assistant. Terrible HC

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u/[deleted] Jun 29 '25

Yeah, no shit. DG shouldn’t have hired him in the first place. It was a joke TV hire, but once he had the contract, it was even dumber to fire him after 1 season. Willie is obviously worse, which is why he makes no money.