Image Source: Detroit News
[Saba Sports News] he Detroit Pistons have chosen an experienced leader to turn around their struggling franchise.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday that Trajan Langdon will be the new president of basketball operations. Langdon, currently the general manager of the New Orleans Pelicans, will leave that position to take on this new role with the Pistons.
This is a significant hire for the Pistons, as the 48-year-old Langdon is a highly-regarded executive. He has served as GM of the Pelicans since 2019, helping them rebuild into a playoff team post-Anthony Davis.
Langdon, a former standout at Duke University, was the No. 11 overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. He played three years in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers before spending a decade overseas. After retiring as a player, Langdon became a scout for the San Antonio Spurs and later the assistant GM for the Brooklyn Nets before joining the Pelicans.
Despite having some promising young talent, the Pistons currently have one of the bleakest outlooks in the NBA. They finished with a league-worst 14-68 record this season, following a 17-65 record last season, and secured only the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft. While the Langdon hire appears strong, it might not be as ambitious as the previously rumored options for Detroit.