News & Lifestyle, Off The Court

Swin Cash hired as Pelicans VP of Basketball Ops and Team Development

Photo Credit: Rolling Out Magazine

The number of WNBA luminaries that continue to rise to the ranks of the NBA front offices continues to grow – and we are All. Here. For. It.

From Nancy Lieberman to Kristi Toliver to Sue Bird to Becky Hammon to Tamika Catchings to Allison Feaster, the number of women that have found their way into high-ranking positions of the W’s big brother league is reading like a who’s who.

Add a New York Liberty legend to the list.

The New Orleans Pelicans, slated to take Zion Williamson with the first overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and are embroiled in drama involving a possible Anthony Davis trade, have added Swin Cash to its front office as the Pels’ Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development.


According to a news release, David Griffin mentioned that his desire to hire her went back to when both were analysts in Atlanta with NBA TV.


As soon as we had the opportunity (this spring) to reach back out to her to try to bring that to fruition, we did so. This is very much a concerted effort on our part, to continue to collect the best and brightest.

–David Griffin, New Orleans Pelicans (per press release)

As for Cash, what she said led her to make the move to the Crescent City was that she saw, what she described as “really positive things happening.”


What I know is basketball-wise, culture, people, that’s what attracted me to New Orleans. I can’t speak about things in the past, but what I can speak about is what’s being built right now. That’s why I’m excited to be a part of it, especially being on the ground level and building that up.

–Swin Cash, New Orleans Pelicans Vice President of Basketball Operations, Team Development (per news release)

During a conference call, Cash also spoke on the number of women that are slowly, but surely working their way into NBA front offices.


You look at Kelly Krauskopf, an assistant GM with the Indiana Pacers. You look at Becky Bonner and Becky Hammon, and obviously with the Finals going on right now you look at Teresa (Resch) who is up there in Toronto as a VP herself. I think there are a lot of women that have been in roles and that are thriving, and I’m just happy to be in New Orleans and be that next one that is up on deck.

–Swin Cash, New Orleans Pelicans Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development (media conference call)

Cash was also asked about the NBA Draft, even though there seems to be little to no question as to who the Pels will pick.


I think the preparations I’ve had covering men’s basketball this last season and being at March Madness, having to look at the different talent that will be there – but I think a lot of what’s going to happen this week is preparation that Trajan (Langdon) and Bryson (Graham) and Griff, I think this whole team will be all-hands-on-deck.

–Swin Cash, New Orleans Pelicans Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development (media conference call)

Interestingly enough, she is another notable that ended up with the Liberty’s front office but didn’t make the transition to the new Joseph Tsai ownership group. Isaiah Thomas also had a position in New York’s front office, but didn’t remain through the ownership change since he was still under contract to James Dolan and Madison Square Garden.


… when that transition happened, I had an opportunity to see if I wanted to continue with the team or just take some time to take a step back and figure out if I just wanted to do television or if I wanted to pursue other things. So, when I took that breath and exhaled, Griff was right there. So that’s kind of how that happened. I never had a hiatus from the business side of basketball. It literally was probably about a month or two before we went into the next thing.

–Swin Cash, New Orleans Pelicans Vice President of Basketball Operations and Team Development (media conference call)

You may also like

Two things can be true – A’ja Wilson is marketable and so is Caitlin Clark

WNBA’s partnership with Opill may be one of its most significant yet

WNBA Draft 2024 recap: Clark No. 1 to Fever; Sparks add Brink, Jackson; Sky select Cardoso, Reese