Kofi Inkoom
With Trajan Langdon stepping into his role as the Detroit Pistons President, the franchise and general manager Troy Weaver are preparing to go their separate ways, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Charania added that although the Pistons extended an offer for Weaver to transition into an off-site scouting role, he declined and will part ways with the organization.
Weaver, who took on the role of general manager for the Pistons in 2020, spearheaded a comprehensive rebuilding effort over his four-year tenure. Despite initial optimism, the team’s performance fell short of ownership and management’s expectations.
While Weaver’s tenure saw promising draft selections like Cade Cunningham and Isaiah Stewart, the team’s overall performance declined over the last two seasons, culminating in a league-worst 14 wins this past season.
Although Weaver’s drafting showed promise, particularly with players like Cunningham and Stewart, his first lottery pick, Killian Hayes, failed to meet expectations.
Additionally, his efforts to bolster the roster around the young core were largely unsuccessful. Langdon, Weaver’s successor, is anticipated to have full autonomy in reshaping both the front office and coaching staff, with team owner Tom Gores expressing a willingness to invest financially in the process.
In the wake of Weaver’s departure, Detroit is in advanced discussions to potentially recruit Michael Blackstone, a current executive with the Pelicans, as Langdon’s deputy. Blackstone, who previously held roles with the Cavaliers and Hawks, joined the Pelicans in 2020 as the VP of basketball administration.