Trajan Langdon has made his first move as the Detroit Pistons’ lead executive
According to Shams Charania and James Edwards III of The Athletic, the Detroit Pistons and general manager Troy Weaver plan to part ways as Langdon begins his duties as president of basketball operations.
Breaking: As Trajan Langdon’s tenure as Detroit Pistons President begins, the franchise and general manager Troy Weaver are planning to part ways, sources tell me and @JLEdwardsIII. pic.twitter.com/N0OSaE3cZH
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 31, 2024
Also according to The Athletic, the Pistons are in discussions to hire Pelicans executive Michael Blackstone as a second executive under Langdon. He served as the vice president of basketball administration in New Orleans the past few years after spending time in the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers front offices.
The Athletic listed additional names to keep an eye on for Langdon’s No. 2, which includes Minnesota Timberwolves VP of basketball operations Matt Lloyd, Washington Wizards VP of player personnel Travis Schlenk, New York Knicks VP of basketball and strategic planning Brock Aller and Memphis Grizzlies VP of basketball affairs and Pistons legend Tayshaun Prince, in addition to Blackstone.
The Pistons hired Weaver as general manager in 2020 after he served as vice president and assistant GM for the Oklahoma City Thunder since 2008. He was promoted to OKC’s VP of basketball operations before the 2017-18 season.
Charania and Edwards reported that the Pistons did offer Weaver a scouting role, but he declined the position.
Weaver drafted Killian Hayes, Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart in his first draft leading Detroit. Bey was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a deal that brought the Pistons James Wiseman, while Hayes was waived at the trade deadline this past season.
The team picked Cade Cunningham No. 1 overall after winning the 2021 NBA Draft Lottery under Weaver’s leadership. The following year, they selected Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. Ausar Thompson was brought in through the 2023 draft.
While the success, or failure, of each move in the Weaver-era can be scrutinized, the Pistons officially enter a new age after winning a franchise-low 14 games last season, which included a 28-game losing streak and no true sense of direction.
The Athletic’s report on Weaver’s departure does not mention the future of head coach Monty Williams, which is presumedly still undetermined.
Now that Weaver is officially out, what do you think is next on the horizon for the Pistons under Langdon’s leadership?