Beloved equipment manager and head athletic trainer depart as sweeping front office changes shake up the New Orleans Pelicans' core operations.
The New Orleans Pelicans front office has been undergoing "sweeping changes" as Joe Dumars and co. try to get new blood into the building in an effort to move on from the past few years of mediocrity.
Some changes have made more sense than others, certainly highlighted by the two most recent reported moves made by the front office.
The first, which is surely going to ruffle a ton of feathers, is veteran equipment manager David "Big Shot" Jovanic, per In The No's Shamit Dua. Jovanovic had been a beloved member of the Pelicans' community since 1988, when he began as the equipment manager.
Jovanovic was very popular among players, past and present, which is part of the confusion surrounding this move. Dua reported that many are "completely shocked" that "Big Shot" won't be back with the team. Firing an equipment manager won't always make the news, but given how long he has been with the team, it feels like a notable decision.
Another move announced today was head athletic trainer Tom Maystadt being let go, per Justin Napoli of Pro Pels Talk. Maystadt has been the head athletic trainer since 2019, after a 10-year stint as an assistant with the Phoenix Suns.
This is less shocking a move, given the poor injury luck over the past couple of years. It was clear that something needed to change in that room, and Dumars has reportedly been hard at work switching around the medical and training staff. Maystadt will probably not have to wait long for new work, having been around the league for a long time.