The Pelicans have found their next general manager.
According to The Athletic, New Orleans has hired Trajan Langdon as its new GM to work alongside vice president of basketball operations David Griffin. Langdon will replace Dell Demps, who was fired in February after the Pelicans failed to make a deal for Anthony Davis before the trade deadline.
At the time of Demps' departure, reports indicated New Orleans owner Gayle Benson wanted to hire a general manager who could handle Davis' trade talks and reshape the future of the team.
Langdon, Griffin's first front-office hire since joining New Orleans in mid-April, had served as the Nets assistant general manager since March 2016. He was also the director of player administration and basketball operations for the Cavaliers in 2015-16 when Griffin was the GM at the time.
Langdon, 43, was selected with the 11th pick in the 1999 draft out of Duke. He played in Cleveland from 1999-2002 before playing overseas until 2011. When he returned, he worked as a scout with the Spurs from 2012-15.
The new GM will team up with Griffin to either find a trade destination for Davis, who requested to be moved at the end of January, or work to keep Davis in New Orleans.
Griffin indicated in April that he's confident Davis will want to stay with the Pelicans, but Davis said at the end of the regular season that he wanted to talk with the new general manager about his future.
"I'm under contract still," Davis said at the end of the regular season, per ESPN. "I have a year left. Obviously it's a possibility it could happen. I don't have ill will towards anybody. I know that it's a possibility that next year I could be here as well. So I can't be mad if I'm here next year.
"Seeing what happens. Seeing who the Pelicans make their GM and having a conversation with that person about the future. My time here has always been great. I love playing here. It's something that I will definitely hold in my heart forever, but the next step is waiting on the Pelicans (to fill) that GM job."
There had been speculation that Davis might be enticed to stay in New Orleans after the Pelicans landed the No. 1 pick — presumably Zion Williamson — in the NBA Draft lottery last week, but The Athletic reported Davis still wants a trade.