Less than a minute into the NBA’s revamped “Media Week” on Monday afternoon, David Griffin launched into what could serve as a refrain for the New Orleans Pelicans’ series of rapid-fire offseason roster transactions.
“We wanted to express a higher level of competitiveness as a group,” Griffin said of discussions the front office had after a disappointing 2-6 showing in the summer Orlando bubble. “We needed more grit and toughness, and more of a defensive identity. And literally every move we’ve made since then fits that theme. There is not a player we brought in here that’s not about the things we cared the most about.