Pistons hire Trajan Langdon as basketball operations president
FILE–Executive VP of Basketball Operations for the Pelicans David Griffin talks with Pelicans General Manager Trajan Langdon during the BIG3 Playoffs at Smoothie King Center on August 25, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Sean Gardner/BIG3 via Getty Images/AFP
DETROIT — The Detroit Pistons have parted ways with general manager Troy Weaver and hired Trajan Langdon on Friday as president of basketball operations.
Detroit has had the worst record in the NBA the past two seasons and won just 23% of its games over four years with Weaver in charge of basketball operations.
Langdon was hired by the New Orleans Pelicans as general manager in 2019 and they improved under him in each of the past five years, winning 49 games last season to trail the win total of only one team in franchise history.
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The former Duke standout, who played in Cleveland for three seasons, previously was the Brooklyn Nets’ assistant general manager. The Pistons said he will hire other executives in an expanded front office.
Detroit hired Weaver nearly four years ago after he was with the Oklahoma City Thunder for 12 seasons, including three-plus years as vice president of basketball operations.
The Pistons announced in April that they were looking for new leadership after they finished 14-68, losing three more games than they did last season, and set an NBA single-season record with 28 consecutive losses.
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Under Weaver, they were 74-244 overall and extended a postseason drought that dates to 2019.
Detroit did not have much luck in the draft lottery for the second straight season and will have the No. 5 pick for the third straight year.
The Pistons are trying to rebuild around Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick overall in 2021, to restore pride for a franchise that has won three NBA titles.
