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Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN
The Detroit Pistons are planning to hire New Orleans Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon as the franchise’s new president of basketball operations, and sides are beginning work on a deal expected to be completed soon, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
Pistons owner Tom Gores is hiring Langdon with sweeping power to make changes to the organization and set a course for the franchise’s future after a league-worst 14 victories and several consecutive years in the draft lottery, sources said.
The Pistons ran a lengthy search, which included coordination with TurnkeyZRG managing director Billy King, before whittling the list of candidates down to Langdon’s offer on Thursday.
Langdon comes armed with a sterling draft and player personnel record in his five years under David Griffin with the Pelicans and three seasons under Sean Marks as an assistant GM with Brooklyn.
The Pelicans and Nets were considered to have had outstanding drafts with Langdon as part of those organizations, selecting Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, Zion Williamson, Trey Murphy, Herb Jones and others.
Langdon will have the opportunity to sit down with Pistons GM Troy Weaver and coach Monty Williams and discuss how they can work together.
The Pistons — who had the league’s worst record at 14-68 last season — have the fifth pick in the June 26 NBA draft and significant salary cap space to make decisions on in the coming months.
Langdon, 48, was an All-American at Duke and the 11th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft to the Cleveland Cavaliers. He spent three years with the Cavaliers before embarking on a decorated EuroLeague career that included two championships, a EuroLeague Final Four MVP and being selected to the league’s all-decade team in 2010.
Source: www.espn.com