Started By
Message

6/4/2025: State of the Pelicans with Joe Dumars

Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:21 pm
Posted by supe12sta12z
Tiger Town
Member since Apr 2012
12043 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:21 pm
quote:

"I've had really good conversations with Zion," Dumars said. "We've had lunch. Dinner. Watched playoff games together. We've done it all. I've had some real honest conversations with him. Some real direct and honest conversations. We're going to go forward with Zion. He's going to continue to be a focal point here as we go forward."


quote:

Dumars' plans to continue building the franchise around Williamson were revealed less than a week after a lawsuit was filed against Williamson in Los Angeles for rape and assault in 2020. Dumars wouldn't speak on the lawsuit.

"I've been advised not to venture into any of his legal issues," Dumars said.


quote:

"I sent him to the lottery for a reason," Dumars said. "I want him to start focusing on the responsibilities of being the best player here and the focal point. There are some responsibilities that come with that. Go represent your organization."


On Willie future:
quote:

"It's hard for me to come in here and say 'here's how I assessed Willie last year,'", Dumars said. "I wasn't here. All I can do is move forward and guide and create and lead and put expectations on what we need to do here to be successful. And only then can I judge Willie or anyone else. I was pleased with what I heard. I'm looking forward to going forward and working with Willie and to push us to success. You've got to set the bar. And that's what we're going to do.


LINK

There it is. Straight from the horse's mouth.


Posted by duyp
Member since May 2011
3040 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:22 pm to
quote:

I'm looking forward to going forward and working with Willie and to push us to success.


Willie and success shouldn’t be in the same sentence
Posted by Chad504boy
4 posts
Member since Feb 2005
172464 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:24 pm to
Transparent honesty rather than slimy salesman speak that griff loved to do
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
124277 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:24 pm to
quote:

"It's hard for me to come in here and say 'here's how I assessed Willie last year,'"


Literally your job. It doesn't stop GMs from doing it a lot with most other franchises.

It only seems to not be done here
Posted by iwyLSUiwy
I'm your huckleberry
Member since Apr 2008
38650 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:30 pm to
Honestly sounds a little bit like Willie will be on a leash. Not praising him or dogging him either. Willie should be gone but hopefully Dumars isn't scared to fire him mid season if things aren't going right.
Posted by Balsamic_duck
Member since Jun 2017
3912 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:31 pm to
quote:

"It's hard for me to come in here and say 'here's how I assessed Willie last year,'", Dumars said. "I wasn't here. All I can do is move forward and guide and create and lead and put expectations on what we need to do here to be successful. And only then can I judge Willie or anyone else. I was pleased with what I heard. I'm looking forward to going forward and working with Willie and to push us to success. You've got to set the bar. And that's what we're going to do.



Uhhh, Joe you know you can watch game film from last year and draw your own assessment. This is a huge part of your job and it’s 2025, the film is readily available. It just requires you to do your job.


That is an incredibly stupid statement from him, and a huge red flag
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
124277 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:32 pm to
I will give it to Dumars for this: he is the Anti-Griffin. Much more clear and direct in his wording. He gets to the point and doesn't use all the corporate babble nonsense.
Posted by Galactic Inquisitor
An Incredibly Distant Star
Member since Dec 2013
17652 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:33 pm to
Posted by Balsamic_duck
Member since Jun 2017
3912 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:35 pm to
quote:

will give it to Dumars for this: he is the Anti-Griffin. Much more clear and direct in his wording. He gets to the point and doesn't use all the corporate babble nonsense.


So transparent that he admits to not doing his due diligence in evaluating Willie. Which is, ya know, his job.
Posted by Galactic Inquisitor
An Incredibly Distant Star
Member since Dec 2013
17652 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:36 pm to
quote:

"I've been advised not to venture into any of his legal issues," Dumars said.


We know how much Gayle Benson loves covering up sex crimes.
Posted by supe12sta12z
Tiger Town
Member since Apr 2012
12043 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:38 pm to
The way he phrased it, there may be truth to the decision coming from ownership.
Posted by Balsamic_duck
Member since Jun 2017
3912 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:47 pm to
quote:

The way he phrased it, there may be truth to the decision coming from ownership.


I agree, so that means either

A. Ownership is meddling in decisions and forcing Dumars to keep a lame duck head coach.

Or

B. Dumars really just admitted to not evaluating Willie as head coach which is an enormous responsibility of his.

Either way we’re fricked.

I think Dumars is just here to not rock the boat, make Gayle happy, and sit back and collect the checks.
Posted by whatiknowsofar
hm?
Member since Nov 2010
24678 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 1:54 pm to
You guys aren't wrong about firing Willie, but we aren't hiring a coach better than him if we do.

Mike Malone, Thibs, we aren't paying for those guys. Not with Zion being a part time player. Hell how is any good coach suppose to win when their two best players miss so much time?

When you evaluate Willie, hes won a lot more here than any other coach we've had. You cant say Willie has to go based on last year alone. This is the logic the front office will use to rationalize keeping him.

Joe Dumars is clearly evaluating Zion in a personal level, and I'm sure he'll do the same with Willie. Its different and its fine for this season, especially with Zion most likely missing more time.
Posted by PELsu
Member since Oct 2021
1477 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 2:03 pm to
Our starting PG blew his Achilles and our star player was accused of rape. Applications at the front desk.
Posted by Fun Bunch
New Orleans
Member since May 2008
124277 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 2:18 pm to
quote:

You guys aren't wrong about firing Willie, but we aren't hiring a coach better than him if we do.



There is a long long list of HCs that no one knew who the hell they were and a team hired them, and they turned out to be good.

Willie is not good.

So you don't know
Posted by Mad Scientist26
Member since Jul 2018
2140 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 2:36 pm to
Seems like another wasted year on trying to make Zion the leader of the team.
Posted by whatiknowsofar
hm?
Member since Nov 2010
24678 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 2:47 pm to
quote:

There is a long long list of HCs that no one knew who the hell they were


I dont know about that.

Most new HCs come well known and sought after as an assistant HC nowadays (Finch, Willie, etc).
Posted by NOSHAU
Member since Feb 2012
13116 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 3:12 pm to
quote:

Literally your job. It doesn't stop GMs from doing it a lot with most other franchises.

It only seems to not be done here
Agree. He would have had to be blind and not understand the NBA to think Willie has done a good enough job here as head coach to keep him around. Already off to a bad start.
Posted by NOSHAU
Member since Feb 2012
13116 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 3:14 pm to
quote:

quote:
"I've been advised not to venture into any of his legal issues," Dumars said.


We know how much Gayle Benson loves covering up sex crimes.
So that is what you got from his comment? You are consistently ridiculous in your takes.
Posted by brmark70816
Atlanta, GA
Member since Feb 2011
10847 posts
Posted on 6/4/25 at 3:18 pm to
This is the slowest moving train wreck I have ever witnessed. All of the signs are there. Cut bait. Start over. We seriously can't go into next season with the same group that barely won 20 games. It's beyond irresponsible. I can't support it..
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 4Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookXInstagram