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New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson and Gov. Jeff Landry have a big trip planned to New York next week. During the two-day excursion, the tandem will visit with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NBA commissioner Adam Silver to update them on the business affairs of the Saints and Pelicans, and to re-emphasize the state’s interest and readiness to host future Super Bowls and NBA All-Star Games. Benson arranged the meetings and invited Landry to attend them as her guest.
New Orleans Saints-Pelicans owner Gayle Benson and Gov. Jeff Landry are leaving this weekend. They have a big trip planned to New York next week. During the two-day excursion, the powerful tandem will visit with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and NBA commissioner Adam Silver to update them on the business affairs of Saints and Pelicans and to re-emphasize the state’s interest and readiness to host future Super Bowl and NBA All-Star Game.
After meeting with Goodell, Benson and Landry will then visit Silver at NBA offices on Tuesday to document plans for a major renovation of the Smoothie King Center, the lynchpin for a long-term lease extension between the team and state. The project, which is still in the conceptual stage, would involve the transformation of Champions Square into a refurbished and reimagined entertainment district.
Jordan Dumars, the 34-year-old son of Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars, has been a constant presence on team planes, in practices, and in high-level meetings. Yet his name was absent from the staff directory and his role was never announced, leaving employees and the league to speculate about his influence. This situation occurs within a unique front-office power structure. Multiple sources describe a hierarchy where owner Gayle Benson, who hired Joe Dumars without a formal search, has taken a hands-off approach. Benson has publicly stated her philosophy, telling The Times-Picayune, “I hired Joe Dumars... When he makes a decision, that’s up to him. That’s why I hired him. I trust Joe... I’ve left that in his hands.”
According to team sources, Jordan Dumars is a recent but constant presence, accompanying the team on its plane, attending practices, and being in meetings. Officials from rival teams have also noted his conspicuous presence within the Pelicans’ traveling party on the road. Sources describe Joe Dumars, Troy Weaver, and Jordan Dumars as being “attached at the hip,” forming an insular leadership circle that operates separately from the rest of the basketball operations staff. This isolation, they say, has fostered a culture with no clear, established lines of communication from management downward, leaving many employees in the dark about the team’s direction and decision-making processes.
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Question: The Pelicans are 150-188 (.444) and have not won a playoff series in Willie Green’s four-plus seasons as head coach. There have been national reports that the organization is “monitoring” his job status. How do you assess the job he’s done so far as head coach? Benson: "I hired Joe Dumars because we needed a change in leadership at that top level of the Pelicans. I believe in Joe, and Joe knows exactly the stats you noted. We need to improve immediately. Our roster is built for success right now. I will rely on Joe to make these decisions and changes as he sees fit."
Question: Specifically as it pertains to Willie Green, how do you feel about the job he has done? Benson: “I really like Willie Green, but I hired Joe Dumars to assess our basketball operation. And that’s what he is doing. He is assessing Willie and all the players. He and I spent the entire halftime (of the Portland Trail Blazers game on Wednesday night) talking. When he makes a decision, that's up to him. That's why I hired him. I trust Joe, because I feel like he knows people. He's known Willie since he was a child, so they know each other. And if he can fix that problem, then he'll fix it. If he can't, then that'll be his decision, not mine. I've left that in his hands.”
Benson: "Yes. Let me be clear about this: The teams are not for sale. That's in capital letters. I want everybody to know the teams are not for sale. I get tired of people asking me (if they're for sale). I'm going to turn 79 in January, but I'm pretty healthy. I hear that people want to talk to me about buying the team. I'm like, well, that's a waste of my time. That's not going to happen. And people need to calm down about the team moving.
Question: The Saints and Pelicans are both off to historically slow starts. How would you assess their respective seasons so far? Benson: "I am obviously not happy. I am disappointed, and I would expect our fans to also be disappointed. What we established over the last two decades with the Saints was a winning organization with the expectation to compete for championships every year. That is our goal, and that has not changed. That is what I expect, and it is what our fans expect. "There is the reality that both leagues have rules to create parity and opportunity, such as the salary cap, and I certainly understand resetting that cap and rebuilding, but nevertheless, I want to win. My role is to hire the best people I can and give them the resources they need to win. It is also my job to hold them accountable if we are not meeting our goals. My expectations for the Pelicans are the same."
Gayle Benson, who owns the NFL New Orleans Saints and the NBA New Orleans Pelicans, has been named the most influential woman in sports by Forbes magazine. Benson, who is also one of the world's richest people according to Forbes with a net worth of $7.9 billion, earned praise for her role in hosting Super Bowl LIX and for her leadership in globalizing the Saints brand. The Saints and Pelicans are valued at a combined $8.5 billion.
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The pain of Murray's limited availability, meanwhile, was only exacerbated by the rise of Dyson Daniels in Atlanta after the Pelicans included him in the Murray deal. As a Hawk, Daniels has emerged as a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. And his rise has been a source of tension in the organization this season, with Green facing questions internally about his perceived past preferences for playing pesky guard Jose Alvarado rather than Daniels. Yet it must be noted that there were whispers about Green being in danger during the Pelicans' brutal 5-29 start ... especially after New Orleans had brought in former Hornets head coach James Borrego as Green's associate head coach. But he survived them. Green has been known known to hold significant support from Pelicans owner Gayle Benson.
Zion Williamson said he’d sign a contract extension if the Pelicans offer this offseason: “Of course, I couldn’t sign it fast enough.” Pelicans lead executive David Griffin said not so fast. Brian Windhorst of ESPN: From what I have been told, the Pelicans, at this point, are not willing to offer a full five-year guaranteed deal. And a lot of it is flowing down from ownership. Gayle Benson, the owner, is also the owner of the New Orleans Saints. And I have been told they’re going to take a football-style, Saints-style mentality with this contract negotiation. They will offer him a huge contract but will not guarantee all of it.