Category: Pelicans

Report: Jacque Vaughn, Charles Lee strongest candidates for Pelicans coaching vacancy

Brooklyn’s Jacque Vaughn and Milwaukee’s Charles Lee have reportedly emerged as the most serious candidates for the Pelicans coaching vacancy.

With nearly two weeks having passed since the firing of Stan Van Gundy, little has leaked of the Pelicans’ search for a replacement. No reports of any interviews with candidates have leaked, but reports of frontrunner candidates have emerged.

The latest report from NOLA.com’s Christian Clark notes that Brooklyn assistant Jacque Vaughn and Milwaukee assistant Charles Lee were the top candidates:

“At this stage, there are two candidates who are viewed as the strongest contenders to get the job, league sources said: Brooklyn Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn and Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee.”

Vaughn’s strong candidacy is not new as ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported something similar in recent days. Lee is another intriguing candidate with similarities to Vaughn. Both are younger candidates than the last two coaches for New Orleans in Van Gundy and Alvin Gentry.

Lee does not have the head coaching experience that Vaughn does. After spending two years as an assistant at his alma mater Bucknell, Lee spent four seasons as an assistant with the Hawks before joining the Bucks’ staff in 2018.

Both candidates would be player coaches, a change from Van Gundy who had a stressed relationship with his players. But as important as it is to find a coach that can relate to the players, it’s equally important for the Pelicans to do it quickly.

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Josh Hart hilariously shuts down possibility of signing with Detroit Pistons

While free agency is a time to dream about endless possibilities, Josh Hart was certain to shoot down any possibility of him signing in Detroit.

For fans, the offseason is a time to dream about some of their favorite players joining their favorite teams. As players enter the free agent market, the possibilities are endless and, as frequenters of social media know, Twitter and Instagram users The end result of it all is loads of jersey swaps flooding timelines on social media during this time of year.

Enter Josh Hart.

Hart is set for restricted free agency this summer. There has been little discussion about his upcoming contract negotiations other than an individual report about him wanting a fresh start. That has led to endless speculation, including one account photoshopping Hart into a Pistons jersey on Saturday.

Hilariously, Hart seemed to shut down any potential of him landing in Detroit.

Hart’s future in New Orleans is certainly up in the air. The team’s financial situation is not in great shape and matching offer sheets to Hart and Lonzo Ball, another restricted free agent, could be difficult.

Regardless of the outcome with the Pelicans, though, Hart will not be landing in Detroit.

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Report: Jacque Vaughn emerging as serious threat for Pelicans head coaching position

The New Orleans Pelicans could be circling in on a candidate for the head coaching position in Brooklyn Nets assistant Jacque Vaughn.

The New Orleans Pelicans could be closing in on specific candidates for the head coaching vacancy with a familiar name at the center. Per ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on “The Hoop Collective” podcast on Friday, former Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn is emerging as a leading candidate for the Pelicans along with Bucks assistant Charles Lee (h/t Bleacher Report).

“I’m not saying he’s gonna get the job because Charles Lee on the Bucks’ staff is also, I think, going to be a strong candidate, but the word out of Chicago at the draft combine is that Jacque Vaughn, who is close to (Pelicans general manager) Trajan Langdon … is gonna get a real serious look.”

Last year, Vaughn was reportedly considered one of the front-runners for the Pelicans in the immediate aftermath of Alvin Gentry’s firing. However, he never got much more of a push than that and wasn’t a factor in the search. This season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski again reported Vaughn as an early candidate for the position.

Vaughn hasn’t officially held a head coach position since 2015 when he was fired midseason in his third year with the Orlando Magic. He was named the interim head coach of the Nets after Kenny Atkinson was fired midseason in 2019-20 and helped Brooklyn navigate the playoffs in the bubble without many of its top contributors.

Despite Steve Nash being hired as head coach last offseason, Vaughn remained on the Brooklyn staff and helped the team navigate to the Eastern Conference playoffs before falling to the Milwaukee Bucks in a memorable Game 7.

For the Pelicans, Vaughn would come in as a coach with a history of tremendous player development in Brooklyn, a member of Gregg Popovich’s coaching tree and a far more player-friendly head coach.

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Why the New Orleans Pelicans can not wait to make a head coaching hire

Last summer, the Pelicans waited over two months to hire a head coach, putting Stan Van Gundy behind the eight ball early on. This offseason, they can’t afford to wait again.

Patience is not a virtue for the Pelicans this summer. Last offseason, the Pelicans waited patiently to find the right person for the head coaching job, a move that backfired as Stan Van Gundy was fired after one season.

It’s part of a carousel of coaches the Pelicans’ core has gone through. Zion Williamson will be on his third coach in three seasons, which should trigger alarms about his future and his current level of discontent. For the trio of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart – though the latter two are restricted free agents – next season would be their fourth coach in four years.

All of this does not spell good things for the current state of the Pelicans. Though stability is one of the most valued and sought aspects of franchises, the Pelicans lack it in every sense. Williamson, a player entering his third year in the league, is the longest-tenured Pelican. Two young core pieces, Ball and Hart, are entering restricted free agency.

And topping it off is a head coach vacancy and a franchise lacking a guiding voice on the court. Last year, Alvin Gentry was fired on Aug. 15 after a disappointing run in the bubble. Van Gundy was not hired until Oct. 21, 67 days later.

For multiple reasons, the Pelicans can’t afford that long of a wait this season, none moreso than the need for a clearer path throughout the offseason. In many senses, Van Gundy was given a job he was never going to succeed at last year. By being hired late, he could not work with his team throughout the offseason. Every aspect of his job was rushed even without taking into account the shortened offseason and abbreviated preseason.

This summer could be a far more normal summer for the Pelicans, But names linked to the team are already being snapped up. Ime Udoka was hired by the Celtics and Jason Kidd is reportedly nearing a deal with the Mavericks.

New Orleans can’t afford to wait again this offseason as candidates are hired elsewhere. Regardless of how interested the team was in Kidd and Udoka, New Orleans needs to afford its next head coach the time never available to Van Gundy.

If the franchise wants to move forward and closer to the stability it needs to find, the first move is to move far more swiftly toward a head coaching hire this offseason and set the path for the offseason.

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2020-21 New Orleans Pelicans Player Review: Brandon Ingram

Despite having a statistically great season, Brandon Ingram’s lack of development and inability to grow alongside Zion Williamson made the 2020-21 season feel like a disappointment.

On paper, Brandon Ingram’s 2020-21 season was impressive. After making the All-Star game in the previous season, Ingram had the nearly identically same season statistically this season.

However, like the Pelicans season as a whole, Ingram’s individual season felt like a disappointment. The 23-year old did not take a notable step forward just like New Orleans did not take a step forward.

With the Pelicans seen as Zion Williamson’s team now moving forward, how does Ingram fit into that fold?

Stat of the Season

2.8.

The only player Williamson played alongside more than Ingram this season was Eric Bledsoe. Together, Ingram and Williamson had a plus-2.8 net rating together on the court.

Notable Exit Interview Quote

On how he views his season…

“For my growth, I think it’s fuel for me. I’m not sure if disappointed is the word but I’ll say it. I’m disappointed in my play and, of course, the result at the end of this year because of how good I know I am and how good the team can be. It’s only fuel for me to be even better next year.”

Overview

After a season where he broke out and made the All-Star game, Ingram matched that season almost exactly. He averaged the exact same amount of points, shot 46.6% from the field this season versus 46.3% last season and had the exact same 53.1% effective field goal percentage.

The problem is the expectations rose for Ingram. A 22-year-old All-Star is not expected to plateau the following season.

In Ingram’s defense, his plateau also came in a season in which Williamson exploded onto the scene. The two did not share the court often due to injury in Williamson’s rookie season and that chemistry wasn’t built.

The result was the two players not complementing one another much this season. Instead, it was a lot of possessions where Ingram did his thing, then Williamson did his thing and not much of the combination of them.

To his credit, Ingram and Williamson noted that they needed to improve upon that situation, but that only came late in the year when the playoffs were out of sight.

So, in one sense, Ingram’s season was exactly as good as his All-Star campaign. But in another sense, he didn’t make the strides he was expected to make in his situation this season.

Outlook

The problem with the current situation with the Pelicans and Ingram is that, with Stan Van Gundy’s firing, Ingram will have his fourth head coach in as many seasons. After spending a year with Luke Walton in Los Angeles, Ingram has played under Alvin Gentry and Van Gundy in New Orleans and now will have yet another coach.

Stability has not been a common theme for Ingram’s professional career. That he’s succeeded around it is a testament to his work ethic, which is unquestioned. But the team needs stability around its franchise cornerstones moving forward.

In the same vein, those franchise cornerstones need to become a unit instead of two individual pieces. Ingram’s ability to run the pick and roll and knock down 3-pointers pairs well with Williamson’s ability to be a one-of-a-kind athlete with ball-handling ability. To have success together next season, those two must get on the same page moving forward.

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New Orleans Pelicans land No. 10 overall pick in 2021 NBA draft

The New Orleans Pelicans stayed pat at Tuesday’s 2021 NBA draft lottery and will select 10th overall in July’s draft.

The New Orleans Pelicans stayed pat at Tuesday’s 2021 NBA draft lottery and will select 10th overall in July’s draft. Entering the night, the Pelicans were 10th in the lottery standings and had just a 20.3% chance of moving into the top four and a 4.5% chance of moving all the way up to the No. 1 pick.

New Orleans has had just one No. 10 pick in the franchise history, that being guard Austin Rivers in the 2012 draft. This season marks the third-straight year the Pelicans will pick in the lottery and will be the franchise’s sixth top-ten pick all-time. Along with Rivers, the remaining picks are Anthony Davis (first), Zion Williamson (first), Chris Paul (fourth), Nerlens Noel (sixth) and Buddy Hield (sixth).

Last season, the Pelicans selected Kira Lewis with the No. 13 pick. In the prior season, the team drafted Williamson on top of acquiring lottery picks Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Jaxson Hayes in trades.

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2021 NBA draft lottery: How to watch, order, odds, broadcast info

While the NBA playoffs enter the Western and Eastern Conference finals, on the other side of the standings in the league, the 2021 NBA draft lottery is set for Tuesday evening

While the NBA playoffs enter the Western and Eastern Conference finals, on the other side of the standings in the league, the 2021 NBA draft lottery is set for Tuesday evening and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

The non-playoff teams will take center stage ahead of Western Conference finals Game 2 between the Clippers and Suns. The Rockets have the No. 1 spot in the lottery, though each of the top four will have equal odds at the top pick. Along with Houston, Detroit, Orlando and Oklahoma City all will have a 14.0% chance of landing the top pick.

Here’s when you should tune in to see the lottery:

  • Date: Tuesday, June 21
  • Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: ESPN

ODDS OF LANDING NO. 1 PICK

  1. Rockets – 14.1%
  2. Pistons – 14.1%
  3. Magic – 14.1%
  4. Thunder – 14.1%
  5. Cavaliers – 11.5%
  6. Timberwolves – 9.0%
  7. Raptors – 7.5%
  8. Bulls – 4.5%
  9. Kings – 4.5%
  10. Pelicans – 4.5%
  11. Hornets – 1.8%
  12. Spurs – 1.7%
  13. Pacers – 1.0%
  14. Warriors – 0.5%

Stan Van Gundy reacts to firing as Pelicans head coach: ‘Players don’t get coaches fired’

Days after being fired as Pelicans head coach, Stan Van Gundy reacted on Twitter by defending his former players.

The New Orleans Pelicans made the surprise announcement on Wednesday to part ways with head coach Stan Van Gundy after just one season in charge. While the move came out of nowhere, reports of discontent among the Pelicans roster did exist prior to Van Gundy’s firing, specifically in regards to the players and coach connecting.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick initially reported that the Pelicans players were not “vibing” with Van Gundy in late May. After his firing, The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Joe Vardon and Will Guillory reported a much larger, a potentially more impactful, story of Zion Williamson’s unhappiness in New Orleans.

Ever the present voice on Twitter, Van Gundy never left social media despite being a prominent figure in NBA news over the last week, which led to him discussing his own firing. In response to a tweet from an Orlando-based radio station, Van Gundy was certain not to push blame onto his former players.

For all his faults this season, Van Gundy was never anything but honest. In fact, it was his honesty that may have led to some of the division between him and his players, including calling his team out after a gut-punch loss on the road against the Knicks.

But credit to Van Gundy for not only not dodging the subject on Twitter but voluntarily addressing it.

Report: New Orleans Pelicans have expressed interest in Chauncey Billups as head coach

The New Orleans Pelicans reportedly expressed interest in Chauncey Billups as the team’s next head coach.

The New Orleans Pelicans’ search for a new head coach will likely include many of the candidates considered last offseason. A new name that reportedly could enter the fold may be former Finals MVP and current Clippers assistant coach Chauncey Billups.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Pelicans have expressed interest in Billups, along with Washington and Orlando. Last season, Billups’ name was linked to some openings before he joined Ty Lue’s staff in Los Angeles, but New Orleans was not one of them.

Still, LonzoWire wrote a profile on him as an option which included some more information on his coach style and links to players:

“While it’s unclear how Billups would coach a team, there is a history of how he would coach point guards. Kyle Lowry has worked out with Billups in the past and considers him a mentor.

Marcus Smart also spent time working out with Billups in the off-season. In the summer of 2017, Smart and Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga met up with Billups for a multi-day workout.”

Billups would likely, then, be a player-coach, which would be a happy change for a Pelicans roster that certainly appeared to struggle to connect to Stan Van Gundy.

Report: Jason Kidd, Teresa Weatherspoon among top candidates for Pelicans head coach

Entering their second head coaching search in two years, the Pelicans are expected to consider Jason Kidd and Teresa Weatherspoon, among others.

The New Orleans Pelicans enter a second consecutive offseason in search of a head coach after reportedly parting ways with Stan Van Gundy on Wednesday morning after just one season at the helm.

Naturally, after having conducted a search so recently, the Pelicans are expected to circle back on a number of candidates considered last offseason. Among those names that are expected to included, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, are Jacque Vaughn and Ime Udoka of Brooklyn, Charles Lee of Milwaukee and Jason Kidd of the Lakers.

A new name that is expected to be a key figure in the search this time around, per Will Guillory of The Athletic, will be New Orleans assistant coach Teresa Weatherspoon. The former WNBA star joined the Pelicans as a player development coach in 2019 before being promoted to an assistant coach under Van Gundy.

For the Pelicans and their current core, this will be yet another coaching change. In New Orleans alone, Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram will be on their third coach in three years. Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart, regardless of where they land, will be on their fourth coach in four years, as will Ingram including his season in Los Angeles as well.

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