New Orleans Pelicans: 5 candidates to replace Dell Demps as GM

1. Danny Ferry

Most likely the frontrunner, Danny Ferry wraps up our list. Following Demps’ dismissal, Ferry was quickly named the Pelicans’ interim general manager. While his title is certainly on an interim basis, Ferry’s previous experience in building a strong Atlanta Hawks roster and his current relationship with the Pelicans’ organization makes him at worst a dark horse candidate and at best a possible favorite for the full-time gig.

Ferry has been a special advisor to the general manager for the Pelicans since 2016 and knows better than any candidate the ins and outs of the organization, and that could be a major benefit to him going forward.

His last general manager role was with the Hawks when he was both general manager and president of basketball operations. He stepped down after reading aloud and verbatim a scouting report of Luol Deng that included racial and ethnic remarks, although a law firm who handled the investigation cleared him of wrongdoing and indicated that Ferry himself endorsed Deng in this conversation both personally and professionally.

While we’re in the early days of the search for a replacement, Ferry has both the organizational experience and the resume to impress Benson and Loomis if they decide to look in-house for their next general manager.