Former GM Trajan Langdon Reportedly In Talks With New Orleans Pelicans VP To Become Pistons Next General Manager

Langdon may fill a critical role with a Pelicans executive in order to rebuild the Detroit Pistons team.

Sep 26, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans general manager Trajan Langdon during a press conference at the New Orleans Pelicans Media Day from the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Former New Orleans general manager Trajan Langdon has sparked intrigue by expressing his interest in Michael Blackstone. He's the Pelicans' vice president of basketball administration and is a potential candidate for Detroit's new general manager.  

Langdon, Detroit's recently hired president of basketball operations, made a significant front-office move by releasing the former general manager, Troy Weaver. The staff move was the first of his efforts to restore and rebuild the Pistons brand in the NBA.

WHO IS MICHAEL BLACKSTONE?

New Orleans hired Blackstone in 2019 to work under David Griffin and alongside Langdon as the Pelicans rebuilt their team. He was responsible for the business aspects of negotiations, strategy, marketing, and related efforts in New Orleans. Blackstone has stints as Atlanta's assistant general manager and Cleveland's executive director of basketball operations under Griffin's watch.

Blackstone's career trajectory is marked by strategic moves that consistently elevated his professional standing. After obtaining a bachelor's of business administration from Towson University and an MBA from the University of Baltimore, he ventured into entrepreneurship, owning a sales and executive training company named Humagination for six years. His strategic insight led him to accept the vice president of marketing role at Shapiro Negotiations Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. Later, he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers as the executive director of basketball operations, a position he held for three seasons, further demonstrating his strategic prowess.   

Blackstone's commitment to the NBA is evident in his career choices. After a two-year stint at Shapiro Negotiations, he returned to the league as the Atlanta Hawks assistant general manager, a role that further solidified his dedication to the sport. Blackstone's commitment continued as he left Atlanta to become a partner at Performance Methods for seven years and later a managing partner at Work Unfiltered. His return to the NBA in June 2019, accepting a position in New Orleans as their vice president of basketball administration, is a testament to his unwavering dedication to the sport.

LANGDON'S NEXT STEP

Reports from The Athletic indicate that Langdon and Blackstone's discussions have reached a "serious" stage. It could be a matter of time before the new Detroit executive reaches an agreement with Blackstone, forcing New Orleans to begin their search to replace him.

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